Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

Options

The LDs now a 99% betting chance in Somerton & Frome – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 11,726
edited July 2023 in General
imageThe LDs now a 99% betting chance in Somerton & Frome – politicalbetting.com

Read the full story here

«13456

Comments

  • Options
    SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,727
    Not last . . . again!
  • Options
    solarflaresolarflare Posts: 3,623
    I keep reading Ainsty as Angsty.
  • Options
    DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 24,700
    Good prices for those on the last thread who had doubts about Labour up north and down ulez way.
  • Options
    MiklosvarMiklosvar Posts: 1,855
    There's 1,500 on offer on smarkets at 1.01. Who risks £1,500 to make £15?
  • Options
    StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 14,674

    I keep reading Ainsty as Angsty.

    Angsty is likely to be the Prime Minister's state of mind after the results come in.
  • Options
    Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 49,623
    Back in 2015, we actually stayed in Frome, using it as jump-point for both Longleat and Bath.
  • Options
    OmniumOmnium Posts: 9,832
    Farage, apology, World news.. WTF!
  • Options
    Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 49,623

    I keep reading Ainsty as Angsty.

    Angsty is likely to be the Prime Minister's state of mind after the results come in.
    Squeaky Sunak time.
  • Options
    Penddu2Penddu2 Posts: 597
    Three testicular wrenching experiences for the Tories coming up....
  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 18,880
    Do any Conservative MPs still enjoy getting spanked?
  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 18,880
    Incidentally, we were discussing closure of ticket offices.

    There is now a legal action, focused on the inadequate consultation process:
    https://www.leighday.co.uk/news/news/2023-news/disabled-people-launch-legal-challenge-to-consultation-over-planned-closure-of-rail-ticket-offices/

    Interesting that Doug Paulley is involved. He has quite the record.
    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/mar/30/doug-paulley-not-my-benefit-tackling-injustice
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,561

    This thread has

    Been sent off to knock up voters in one of the by elections

    I thought Johnson wasn't campaigning in this one?
  • Options
    CookieCookie Posts: 11,553
    MattW said:

    Do any Conservative MPs still enjoy getting spanked?

    AIRI, Harvey Proctor enjoyed being the spanker rather than the spankee. The story was that it was his habit to hire out a particular rent boy for Tory by-election defences and spank him while the results came in. Apocryphal, surely.
  • Options
    DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 24,700
    Cookie said:

    MattW said:

    Do any Conservative MPs still enjoy getting spanked?

    AIRI, Harvey Proctor enjoyed being the spanker rather than the spankee. The story was that it was his habit to hire out a particular rent boy for Tory by-election defences and spank him while the results came in. Apocryphal, surely.
    Careful now, living people can sue.
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,227
    MattW said:

    Incidentally, we were discussing closure of ticket offices.

    There is now a legal action, focused on the inadequate consultation process:
    https://www.leighday.co.uk/news/news/2023-news/disabled-people-launch-legal-challenge-to-consultation-over-planned-closure-of-rail-ticket-offices/

    Interesting that Doug Paulley is involved. He has quite the record.
    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/mar/30/doug-paulley-not-my-benefit-tackling-injustice

    The ticket office closures has gone down like a bowl of cold sick. Note; this is not a policy from the operators; it's the government / DfT / RD that are pushing this forwards. Politicians who screech about 'privatisation!' as being the reason are rather missing the real perpetrators.
  • Options
    Miklosvar said:

    There's 1,500 on offer on smarkets at 1.01. Who risks £1,500 to make £15?

    If you're certain, 1% return in a few hours is quite good.

    I laid Trump and backed Biden as next President at very short odds at the time of the legal challenges at the last Presidential election. Maybe I was wrong and Trump had a non-zero chance. But it felt like taking small sums from idiots.
  • Options
    RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 27,444
    Cookie said:

    MattW said:

    Do any Conservative MPs still enjoy getting spanked?

    AIRI, Harvey Proctor enjoyed being the spanker rather than the spankee. The story was that it was his habit to hire out a particular rent boy for Tory by-election defences and spank him while the results came in. Apocryphal, surely.
    A spanking! A spanking! And after the spanking?
  • Options
    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,715
    Republic now.

    King Charles III is to receive a huge pay rise from the UK taxpayer, according to government plans to boost public funding of the monarchy by 45% from 2025.

    Details of the increase, which comes against the backdrop of a cost of living crisis, were contained in a review of royal funding published by the Treasury on Thursday. It revealed the royal family’s grant is due to increase from £86m to £125m.

    The monarchy’s annual budget, known as the sovereign grant, is pegged against the profits from a national property portfolio called the crown estate.

    The review of the royal funding settlement was heavily spun by the Treasury to give the impression that the king would be taking a pay cut so that crown estate funds could instead be spent on public services.

    In fact, the report reveals the monarchy is due to receive a huge pay increase, although the rise will not kick in for another two years.

    Next year, the sovereign grant will remain unchanged at £86.3m. However, in 2025, the king’s public funding will increase by a projected £38.5m, giving the monarchy an annual stipend of £124.8m. In 2026, it will be £126m.

    Contacted by the Guardian, Buckingham Palace and the Treasury did not dispute that the sovereign grant was expected to significantly increase in the coming years.

    Lord Turnbull, a former cabinet secretary, Whitehall’s most senior civil servant, who was involved in official discussions over royal financing, accused the Treasury of seeking to obfuscate how the monarchy was funded.


    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jul/20/king-charles-to-receive-huge-pay-rise-from-uk-taxpayers
  • Options
    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,715
    The chaos at the heart of government last year cost the British taxpayer more than £3m in severance fees, because of the huge turnover of ministers and advisers over the course of three prime ministerships, documents have revealed.

    The government spent hundreds of thousands of pounds paying off senior ministers, including the former prime ministers Liz Truss and Boris Johnson, and another £2.9m in payouts to their advisers.

    Rishi Sunak handed back nearly £17,000 that he received after quitting as Boris Johnson’s chancellor, and others are under pressure to do the same, as Labour and the Liberal Democrats attacked senior Conservatives for taking large one-off sums having overseen deteriorating economic conditions.


    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jul/20/truss-and-kwarteng-given-more-than-16000-each-after-leaving-office
  • Options
    RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 27,444

    MattW said:

    Incidentally, we were discussing closure of ticket offices.

    There is now a legal action, focused on the inadequate consultation process:
    https://www.leighday.co.uk/news/news/2023-news/disabled-people-launch-legal-challenge-to-consultation-over-planned-closure-of-rail-ticket-offices/

    Interesting that Doug Paulley is involved. He has quite the record.
    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/mar/30/doug-paulley-not-my-benefit-tackling-injustice

    The ticket office closures has gone down like a bowl of cold sick. Note; this is not a policy from the operators; it's the government / DfT / RD that are pushing this forwards. Politicians who screech about 'privatisation!' as being the reason are rather missing the real perpetrators.
    Doesn't stop crankies on Twitter demanding that the solution to stop the closures is to nationalise these already nationalised DfT-destroyed operators.
  • Options
    DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 24,700
    Is anyone counting overnight?
  • Options
    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 15,609

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    One of the very best TV programmes every made in my opinion.

    But I'd be a bit concerned that someone would find something to object to in it these days. There's a bit of caricature about some of the characters that people often kick up a fuss about these days. And hasn't Tony Robinson been cancelled for one offence or another?
  • Options
    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 31,048
    edited July 2023
    Omnium said:

    Farage, apology, World news.. WTF!

    If you are watching the BBC that is because they have done this idiotic thing where they have basically got rid of the differentiation between the world news channel and the national news channel as far as 24 hour news goes. So you get this strange situation where the news travels round the world in an 8 hour cycle but still keeps both the national and international news mixed together. So you get this strange situation where during, for example, the Singapore slot, you still get UK national news items being reported from the newsdesk in Singapore.
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,561

    Is anyone counting overnight?

    Every night. Lots of sheep.
  • Options
    RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 27,444

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    One of the very best TV programmes every made in my opinion.

    But I'd be a bit concerned that someone would find something to object to in it these days. There's a bit of caricature about some of the characters that people often kick up a fuss about these days. And hasn't Tony Robinson been cancelled for one offence or another?

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    One of the very best TV programmes every made in my opinion.

    But I'd be a bit concerned that someone would find something to object to in it these days. There's a bit of caricature about some of the characters that people often kick up a fuss about these days. And hasn't Tony Robinson been cancelled for one offence or another?
    It was bloody marvellous. Empowering for girls and minorities, quirky, funny, teaching (kind of) history. All the things that GBeebies viewers despise.

  • Options
    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,715
    ydoethur said:

    Is anyone counting overnight?

    Every night. Lots of sheep.
    Tell me you are Welsh without telling me you are Welsh.
  • Options
    CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 40,117

    ydoethur said:

    Is anyone counting overnight?

    Every night. Lots of sheep.
    Tell me you are Welsh without telling me you are Welsh.
    I was wondering if you would spot that.
  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 18,880

    MattW said:

    Incidentally, we were discussing closure of ticket offices.

    There is now a legal action, focused on the inadequate consultation process:
    https://www.leighday.co.uk/news/news/2023-news/disabled-people-launch-legal-challenge-to-consultation-over-planned-closure-of-rail-ticket-offices/

    Interesting that Doug Paulley is involved. He has quite the record.
    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/mar/30/doug-paulley-not-my-benefit-tackling-injustice

    The ticket office closures has gone down like a bowl of cold sick. Note; this is not a policy from the operators; it's the government / DfT / RD that are pushing this forwards. Politicians who screech about 'privatisation!' as being the reason are rather missing the real perpetrators.
    There's a petition here:
    https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/636542

    The Govt have done the 10,000 response, which uses exactly the same claims as the Rail Delivery Group, and - as one would expect - slopes shoulders.

  • Options
    RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 27,444

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    One of the very best TV programmes every made in my opinion.

    But I'd be a bit concerned that someone would find something to object to in it these days. There's a bit of caricature about some of the characters that people often kick up a fuss about these days. And hasn't Tony Robinson been cancelled for one offence or another?

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    One of the very best TV programmes every made in my opinion.

    But I'd be a bit concerned that someone would find something to object to in it these days. There's a bit of caricature about some of the characters that people often kick up a fuss about these days. And hasn't Tony Robinson been cancelled for one offence or another?
    It was bloody marvellous. Empowering for girls and minorities, quirky, funny, teaching (kind of) history. All the things that GBeebies viewers despise.

    Robin Hood reminds me of David Cameron. A bit posh, a bit crap but full of himself, taking the credit for the work of others.
  • Options
    algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 10,706
    edited July 2023
    BBC website and radio news (don't know about TV) is leading on Farage's bank account. Is this really of greater importance than Ukraine (Russia bombing grain ports??), Sudan, heat waves and about 100 other stories?

    Edit: I see this has been mentioned before.
  • Options
    MiklosvarMiklosvar Posts: 1,855

    Miklosvar said:

    There's 1,500 on offer on smarkets at 1.01. Who risks £1,500 to make £15?

    If you're certain, 1% return in a few hours is quite good.

    I laid Trump and backed Biden as next President at very short odds at the time of the legal challenges at the last Presidential election. Maybe I was wrong and Trump had a non-zero chance. But it felt like taking small sums from idiots.
    Pennies and steamrollers. At 1.01 you have to be looking at solvency and actuarial risks and stuff. You can make the same risk free in 8 weeks with a fscs guarantee at current interest rates
  • Options
    SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,727
    edited July 2023

    The chaos at the heart of government last year cost the British taxpayer more than £3m in severance fees, because of the huge turnover of ministers and advisers over the course of three prime ministerships, documents have revealed.

    The government spent hundreds of thousands of pounds paying off senior ministers, including the former prime ministers Liz Truss and Boris Johnson, and another £2.9m in payouts to their advisers.

    Rishi Sunak handed back nearly £17,000 that he received after quitting as Boris Johnson’s chancellor, and others are under pressure to do the same, as Labour and the Liberal Democrats attacked senior Conservatives for taking large one-off sums having overseen deteriorating economic conditions.


    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jul/20/truss-and-kwarteng-given-more-than-16000-each-after-leaving-office

    "British taxpayers cannot afford another Conservative government" - slogan for next GE?

    Edit - maybe put "failed'' between "another" and "Conservative"?

    Could also be localized, for example to England and/or specific constituencies?
  • Options
    CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 40,117
    algarkirk said:

    BBC website and radio news (don't know about TV) is leading on Farage's bank account. Is this really of greater importance than Ukraine (Russia bombing grain ports??), Sudan, heat waves and about 100 other stories?

    Don't you know? He's someone of no political significance, we were assured on PB earlier.
  • Options
    ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 2,993
    algarkirk said:

    BBC website and radio news (don't know about TV) is leading on Farage's bank account. Is this really of greater importance than Ukraine (Russia bombing grain ports??), Sudan, heat waves and about 100 other stories?

    Edit: I see this has been mentioned before.

    Probably more important in the sense of "If we don't give this prominence will we be bombarded with tweets/emails/newspaper messaging about 'Biased metro-elite liberal small-boat-lover BBC'"?
  • Options
    MiklosvarMiklosvar Posts: 1,855

    The chaos at the heart of government last year cost the British taxpayer more than £3m in severance fees, because of the huge turnover of ministers and advisers over the course of three prime ministerships, documents have revealed.

    The government spent hundreds of thousands of pounds paying off senior ministers, including the former prime ministers Liz Truss and Boris Johnson, and another £2.9m in payouts to their advisers.

    Rishi Sunak handed back nearly £17,000 that he received after quitting as Boris Johnson’s chancellor, and others are under pressure to do the same, as Labour and the Liberal Democrats attacked senior Conservatives for taking large one-off sums having overseen deteriorating economic conditions.


    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jul/20/truss-and-kwarteng-given-more-than-16000-each-after-leaving-office

    Government by monarchy now.
  • Options
    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,715
    So glad I no longer have a Coutts account, just look at the riff-raff they let in, first Nigel Farage, then there's this from another PB.

    Unexpected Coutts Account Holders, pt.II: Thom Yorke.
  • Options
    ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 2,993

    I do find the concern about the colour of someones skin (or gender) in a work of fiction to be a strange concept. I think one of the best versions of David Copperfield I have ever seen was the 2019 version with Dev Patel. Just brilliant because all you could see was the quality of the acting.

    It does worry me that we have this move towards claiming that minority characters can only be played by someone from that minority. It seems to undermine the whole point of acting.

    As an aside, I see Armando is now doing a stage version of Dr.Strangelove.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-66186362
  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 18,880
    edited July 2023

    Omnium said:

    Farage, apology, World news.. WTF!

    If you are watching the BBC that is because they have done this idiotic thing where they have basically got rid of the differentiation between the world news channel and the national news channel as far as 24 hour news goes. So you get this strange situation where the news travels round the world in an 8 hour cycle but still keeps both the national and international news mixed together. So you get this strange situation where during, for example, the Singapore slot, you still get UK national news items being reported from the newsdesk in Singapore.
    As far as I can see the World News channel in the morning is running British Daytime TV.

    Is that correct? I haven't been more interested than to go "OMG", and switch to BBC WS radio or DW or France 24, all of which are more bearable at that time.
  • Options
    OmniumOmnium Posts: 9,832

    Omnium said:

    Farage, apology, World news.. WTF!

    If you are watching the BBC that is because they have done this idiotic thing where they have basically got rid of the differentiation between the world news channel and the national news channel as far as 24 hour news goes. So you get this strange situation where the news travels round the world in an 8 hour cycle but still keeps both the national and international news mixed together. So you get this strange situation where during, for example, the Singapore slot, you still get UK national news items being reported from the newsdesk in Singapore.
    Yes.

    What baffles me is that such a thing should be news of any sort. I'm happy to see it reported upon, but really that's as far as it seems sensible.

    I think there is a great deal to be said about the problem of celebrity - Huw Edwards - Do we care? We do now because he's a celebrity. Farage, to his credit, hasn't quite embraced this historically, but he's now wanting to do so.


  • Options
    MiklosvarMiklosvar Posts: 1,855

    Cookie said:

    MattW said:

    Do any Conservative MPs still enjoy getting spanked?

    AIRI, Harvey Proctor enjoyed being the spanker rather than the spankee. The story was that it was his habit to hire out a particular rent boy for Tory by-election defences and spank him while the results came in. Apocryphal, surely.
    A spanking! A spanking! And after the spanking?
    More waffles.
  • Options
    ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 2,993

    ydoethur said:

    Is anyone counting overnight?

    Every night. Lots of sheep.
    Tell me you are Welsh without telling me you are Welsh.
    Reminds me of "Why don't you need to ask someone if they are from Yorkshire? Because they'll have told you before you could finish the question."
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 63,158
    edited July 2023
    That is all they have ?

    The Republicans just released the document they've claimed shows bribes were paid to President Biden. It has a few cryptic references to payments by a man* who later definitively told Rudy Giuliani "no one from Burisma ever had any contacts with VP Biden"
    https://twitter.com/Fritschner/status/1682072808371765257

    *Also currently a fugitive from justice.

    Makes the Steele dossier look cast iron in comparison.

  • Options
    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 31,048
    edited July 2023
    MattW said:

    Omnium said:

    Farage, apology, World news.. WTF!

    If you are watching the BBC that is because they have done this idiotic thing where they have basically got rid of the differentiation between the world news channel and the national news channel as far as 24 hour news goes. So you get this strange situation where the news travels round the world in an 8 hour cycle but still keeps both the national and international news mixed together. So you get this strange situation where during, for example, the Singapore slot, you still get UK national news items being reported from the newsdesk in Singapore.
    As far as I can see the World News channel in the morning is running British Daytime TV.

    Is that correct? I haven't been more interested than to go "OMG", and switch to BBC WS radio or DW or France 24, all of which are more bearable at that time.
    Not sure. I know they were talking about doing a lot more 'simulcasts' and it now seems that BBC news in the morning is basically Nicky Campbells radio phone in with the camera pointing at him.
  • Options
    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 15,609
    I don't normally have anything good to say about Ryanair, but this is a commendable move from them, and builds confidence in Ukraine's post-war future.

    https://kyivindependent.com/ryanair-announces-post-war-return-to-ukraine-3-billion-investment/
  • Options
    MightyAlexMightyAlex Posts: 1,468
    Miklosvar said:

    Miklosvar said:

    There's 1,500 on offer on smarkets at 1.01. Who risks £1,500 to make £15?

    If you're certain, 1% return in a few hours is quite good.

    I laid Trump and backed Biden as next President at very short odds at the time of the legal challenges at the last Presidential election. Maybe I was wrong and Trump had a non-zero chance. But it felt like taking small sums from idiots.
    Pennies and steamrollers. At 1.01 you have to be looking at solvency and actuarial risks and stuff. You can make the same risk free in 8 weeks with a fscs guarantee at current interest rates
    Ah but if you can do it 100 times a day?
  • Options
    ThomasNasheThomasNashe Posts: 5,022

    So glad I no longer have a Coutts account, just look at the riff-raff they let in, first Nigel Farage, then there's this from another PB.

    Unexpected Coutts Account Holders, pt.II: Thom Yorke.

    No surprises
  • Options
    RogerRoger Posts: 18,942
    MattW said:

    Do any Conservative MPs still enjoy getting spanked?

    It would be a sad day if that wing of the Party had disappeared
  • Options
    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 31,048
    MattW said:

    Omnium said:

    Farage, apology, World news.. WTF!

    If you are watching the BBC that is because they have done this idiotic thing where they have basically got rid of the differentiation between the world news channel and the national news channel as far as 24 hour news goes. So you get this strange situation where the news travels round the world in an 8 hour cycle but still keeps both the national and international news mixed together. So you get this strange situation where during, for example, the Singapore slot, you still get UK national news items being reported from the newsdesk in Singapore.
    As far as I can see the World News channel in the morning is running British Daytime TV.

    Is that correct? I haven't been more interested than to go "OMG", and switch to BBC WS radio or DW or France 24, all of which are more bearable at that time.
    I like France 24 and Al Jazzera. They seems to have a much wider scope and range of news items that never really get mentioned on UK news channels. All the UK channels look very parochial by comparison.
  • Options
    CookieCookie Posts: 11,553
    edited July 2023

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    In all honesty, that was my initial suspicion when I first saw it.
    But the thing is, it was good.
    You can get away with a lot if your product is actually good. Nowadays, mostly they forget that bit (see Women Ghostbusters (can't remember the real name)).
    Everybody now: It's pancake day, it's pancake day, it's p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake day...
  • Options
    Miklosvar said:

    Miklosvar said:

    There's 1,500 on offer on smarkets at 1.01. Who risks £1,500 to make £15?

    If you're certain, 1% return in a few hours is quite good.

    I laid Trump and backed Biden as next President at very short odds at the time of the legal challenges at the last Presidential election. Maybe I was wrong and Trump had a non-zero chance. But it felt like taking small sums from idiots.
    Pennies and steamrollers. At 1.01 you have to be looking at solvency and actuarial risks and stuff. You can make the same risk free in 8 weeks with a fscs guarantee at current interest rates
    Eight hours is a shorter period than eight weeks.

    I appreciate you may think the risk is sufficient not to bother on this one, and indeed I'm not. But very short odds betting isn't crazy if you're certain and the payout timeline is very short.
  • Options
    felixfelix Posts: 15,125
    Probably nothing but Kevin Schofield suggesting Labour nervous about Uxbridge.
  • Options
    StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 14,674

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    One of the very best TV programmes every made in my opinion.

    But I'd be a bit concerned that someone would find something to object to in it these days. There's a bit of caricature about some of the characters that people often kick up a fuss about these days. And hasn't Tony Robinson been cancelled for one offence or another?

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    One of the very best TV programmes every made in my opinion.

    But I'd be a bit concerned that someone would find something to object to in it these days. There's a bit of caricature about some of the characters that people often kick up a fuss about these days. And hasn't Tony Robinson been cancelled for one offence or another?
    It was bloody marvellous. Empowering for girls and minorities, quirky, funny, teaching (kind of) history. All the things that GBeebies viewers despise.

    Robin Hood reminds me of David Cameron. A bit posh, a bit crap but full of himself, taking the credit for the work of others.
    But as with Robin Hood, he meant well.

    As for the BBC News UK/World merger and the train ticket office thing, they're both canaries for the state of the nation.

    A properly high-minded BBC News channel that looked at the world with its feet rooted in the UK... That would probably work. Might not get a huge audience, but like the World Service on radio, it could work as an idea. But what we've got is a mess, because it's just about cuts to save money. (Talking of which, the BBC local fiasco is starting to bite.)

    Similarly, you could get rid of train ticket offices as a sign of confidence- the system is so simple and easy to use that people behind counters are literally redundant. But what we're getting is just another bit of cheese paring. And everyone knows it.

    Unfortunately, we can't have nice things, because we're not rich enough any more
  • Options
    LeonLeon Posts: 47,730

    I do find the concern about the colour of someones skin (or gender) in a work of fiction to be a strange concept. I think one of the best versions of David Copperfield I have ever seen was the 2019 version with Dev Patel. Just brilliant because all you could see was the quality of the acting.

    It does worry me that we have this move towards claiming that minority characters can only be played by someone from that minority. It seems to undermine the whole point of acting.

    Snow White not being very very white does seem a tad egregious. In the latest movie she is kinda Hispanic and dusky

    The whole point of the fairy tale is that she has snowy white skin. Hence her name

    I’ve no problem with casting anyone as anyone, within reason, but when it actually destroys the basic premise of the story: then yes. I have a problem.
  • Options
    RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 27,444
    Cookie said:

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    In all honesty, that was my initial suspicion when I first saw it.
    But the thing is, it was good.
    You can get away with a lot if your product is actually good. Nowadays, mostly they forget that bit (see Women Ghostbusters (can't remember the real name)).
    Everybody now: It's pancake day, it's pancake day, it's p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake day...
    A load of classic kids TV on BritBox for the summer. Have now moved onto Rentaghost
  • Options
    MiklosvarMiklosvar Posts: 1,855

    Miklosvar said:

    Miklosvar said:

    There's 1,500 on offer on smarkets at 1.01. Who risks £1,500 to make £15?

    If you're certain, 1% return in a few hours is quite good.

    I laid Trump and backed Biden as next President at very short odds at the time of the legal challenges at the last Presidential election. Maybe I was wrong and Trump had a non-zero chance. But it felt like taking small sums from idiots.
    Pennies and steamrollers. At 1.01 you have to be looking at solvency and actuarial risks and stuff. You can make the same risk free in 8 weeks with a fscs guarantee at current interest rates
    Ah but if you can do it 100 times a day?
    OK. 100 steamrollers you are now dodging. And in this case there aren't multiple lays you can make anyway, it's not like laying 100 us pres runners all at once because there's not 100 candidates.
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 63,158
    Florida…

    New Florida teaching standards say African Americans received some ‘personal benefit’ from slavery
    https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/20/florida-black-history-teaching-standards-00107067
  • Options
    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 15,609
    ohnotnow said:

    algarkirk said:

    BBC website and radio news (don't know about TV) is leading on Farage's bank account. Is this really of greater importance than Ukraine (Russia bombing grain ports??), Sudan, heat waves and about 100 other stories?

    Edit: I see this has been mentioned before.

    Probably more important in the sense of "If we don't give this prominence will we be bombarded with tweets/emails/newspaper messaging about 'Biased metro-elite liberal small-boat-lover BBC'"?
    It's really cheap news because they don't have to do any research of their own, don't have to send a correspondent anywhere dangerous, don't really have to make any editorial judgements - just look at what the Mail and Telegraph are upset about.

    It's a sign of a BBC that has completely lost its confidence and its sense of self.
  • Options
    CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 40,117
    Nigelb said:

    Florida…

    New Florida teaching standards say African Americans received some ‘personal benefit’ from slavery
    https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/20/florida-black-history-teaching-standards-00107067

    Bit shit for the ones who didn't survive the trip to the Land of the Free, then.
  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 18,880
    edited July 2023

    MattW said:

    Omnium said:

    Farage, apology, World news.. WTF!

    If you are watching the BBC that is because they have done this idiotic thing where they have basically got rid of the differentiation between the world news channel and the national news channel as far as 24 hour news goes. So you get this strange situation where the news travels round the world in an 8 hour cycle but still keeps both the national and international news mixed together. So you get this strange situation where during, for example, the Singapore slot, you still get UK national news items being reported from the newsdesk in Singapore.
    As far as I can see the World News channel in the morning is running British Daytime TV.

    Is that correct? I haven't been more interested than to go "OMG", and switch to BBC WS radio or DW or France 24, all of which are more bearable at that time.
    I like France 24 and Al Jazzera. They seems to have a much wider scope and range of news items that never really get mentioned on UK news channels. All the UK channels look very parochial by comparison.
    I find France 24 to cover the Francophone world and especially former imperial areas (esp North Africa), whilst the BBC WS radio is very comprehensive. Which could of course be because we have far more former empire regions - in late Victorian times the British Empire was nearly 25% of world GDP.

    DW I would describe as "generally stolid".

    But both routinely carry Putin-sympathetic views as one end of round table discussions (!) more often than UK media. BBC tends to editorialise more.
  • Options
    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 31,048

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    One of the very best TV programmes every made in my opinion.

    But I'd be a bit concerned that someone would find something to object to in it these days. There's a bit of caricature about some of the characters that people often kick up a fuss about these days. And hasn't Tony Robinson been cancelled for one offence or another?

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    One of the very best TV programmes every made in my opinion.

    But I'd be a bit concerned that someone would find something to object to in it these days. There's a bit of caricature about some of the characters that people often kick up a fuss about these days. And hasn't Tony Robinson been cancelled for one offence or another?
    It was bloody marvellous. Empowering for girls and minorities, quirky, funny, teaching (kind of) history. All the things that GBeebies viewers despise.

    Robin Hood reminds me of David Cameron. A bit posh, a bit crap but full of himself, taking the credit for the work of others.
    But as with Robin Hood, he meant well.

    As for the BBC News UK/World merger and the train ticket office thing, they're both canaries for the state of the nation.

    A properly high-minded BBC News channel that looked at the world with its feet rooted in the UK... That would probably work. Might not get a huge audience, but like the World Service on radio, it could work as an idea. But what we've got is a mess, because it's just about cuts to save money. (Talking of which, the BBC local fiasco is starting to bite.)

    Similarly, you could get rid of train ticket offices as a sign of confidence- the system is so simple and easy to use that people behind counters are literally redundant. But what we're getting is just another bit of cheese paring. And everyone knows it.

    Unfortunately, we can't have nice things, because we're not rich enough any more
    Of course we are rich enough. We are the 6th largest GDP in the world and our tax take as a share of GDP is bang in the middle of the G7. It is not how much money we have it is how we spend it that is at fault.
  • Options
    Jim_MillerJim_Miller Posts: 2,550
    FPT: Tom Wolfe's "Me Decade" has lasted, just as he thought it might, back in 1976.

    Here's the ending of that essay: "Where the Third Great Awakening will lead--who can presume to say? One only knows that the great religious waves have a momentum all their own. Neither arguments nor policies nor acts of the legislature have been any match for them in the past. And this one has the mightiest, holiest roll of all, the beat that goes . . . Me . . . Me . . . Me . . . Me . . ."

    (That's from a collection of his, "The Purple Decades". Which I would recommend to almost everyone interested in American politics. As a sop to modern sensibilities, I perhaps should include a trigger warning with that recommendation, for some.)
  • Options
    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 31,048
    MattW said:

    MattW said:

    Omnium said:

    Farage, apology, World news.. WTF!

    If you are watching the BBC that is because they have done this idiotic thing where they have basically got rid of the differentiation between the world news channel and the national news channel as far as 24 hour news goes. So you get this strange situation where the news travels round the world in an 8 hour cycle but still keeps both the national and international news mixed together. So you get this strange situation where during, for example, the Singapore slot, you still get UK national news items being reported from the newsdesk in Singapore.
    As far as I can see the World News channel in the morning is running British Daytime TV.

    Is that correct? I haven't been more interested than to go "OMG", and switch to BBC WS radio or DW or France 24, all of which are more bearable at that time.
    I like France 24 and Al Jazzera. They seems to have a much wider scope and range of news items that never really get mentioned on UK news channels. All the UK channels look very parochial by comparison.
    I find France 24 to cover the Francophone world and especially former imperial areas (esp North Africa), whilst the BBC WS radio is very comprehensive. Which could of course be because we have far more former empire regions - in late Victorian times the British Empire was nearly 25% of world GDP.
    I must admit I was surprised to see that the BBC reporter covering the New Zealand shootings was based in... Sydney. Does New Zealand no longer merit a correspondant?
  • Options
    OmniumOmnium Posts: 9,832

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    One of the very best TV programmes every made in my opinion.

    But I'd be a bit concerned that someone would find something to object to in it these days. There's a bit of caricature about some of the characters that people often kick up a fuss about these days. And hasn't Tony Robinson been cancelled for one offence or another?

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    One of the very best TV programmes every made in my opinion.

    But I'd be a bit concerned that someone would find something to object to in it these days. There's a bit of caricature about some of the characters that people often kick up a fuss about these days. And hasn't Tony Robinson been cancelled for one offence or another?
    It was bloody marvellous. Empowering for girls and minorities, quirky, funny, teaching (kind of) history. All the things that GBeebies viewers despise.

    Robin Hood reminds me of David Cameron. A bit posh, a bit crap but full of himself, taking the credit for the work of others.
    But as with Robin Hood, he meant well.

    As for the BBC News UK/World merger and the train ticket office thing, they're both canaries for the state of the nation.

    A properly high-minded BBC News channel that looked at the world with its feet rooted in the UK... That would probably work. Might not get a huge audience, but like the World Service on radio, it could work as an idea. But what we've got is a mess, because it's just about cuts to save money. (Talking of which, the BBC local fiasco is starting to bite.)

    Similarly, you could get rid of train ticket offices as a sign of confidence- the system is so simple and easy to use that people behind counters are literally redundant. But what we're getting is just another bit of cheese paring. And everyone knows it.

    Unfortunately, we can't have nice things, because we're not rich enough any more
    I'm not directing this at you, but I think it's quite likely that as a nation we could do much better if we stopped whinging and just got on with life.

  • Options
    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 31,048
    Leon said:

    I do find the concern about the colour of someones skin (or gender) in a work of fiction to be a strange concept. I think one of the best versions of David Copperfield I have ever seen was the 2019 version with Dev Patel. Just brilliant because all you could see was the quality of the acting.

    It does worry me that we have this move towards claiming that minority characters can only be played by someone from that minority. It seems to undermine the whole point of acting.

    Snow White not being very very white does seem a tad egregious. In the latest movie she is kinda Hispanic and dusky

    The whole point of the fairy tale is that she has snowy white skin. Hence her name

    I’ve no problem with casting anyone as anyone, within reason, but when it actually destroys the basic premise of the story: then yes. I have a problem.
    Yep I can see that. But such specific examples don't detract from the overall argument.
  • Options
    OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,223
    Nigelb said:

    Florida…

    New Florida teaching standards say African Americans received some ‘personal benefit’ from slavery
    https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/20/florida-black-history-teaching-standards-00107067

    The only major upside of climate change will be when Florida slips beneath the Atlantic waves.
  • Options
    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 15,609
    Cookie said:

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    In all honesty, that was my initial suspicion when I first saw it.
    But the thing is, it was good.
    You can get away with a lot if your product is actually good. Nowadays, mostly they forget that bit (see Women Ghostbusters (can't remember the real name)).
    Everybody now: It's pancake day, it's pancake day, it's p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake day...
    The women ghostbusters was ace. Really well done. Do not understand the hostility towards it.
  • Options
    MightyAlexMightyAlex Posts: 1,468
    Miklosvar said:

    Miklosvar said:

    Miklosvar said:

    There's 1,500 on offer on smarkets at 1.01. Who risks £1,500 to make £15?

    If you're certain, 1% return in a few hours is quite good.

    I laid Trump and backed Biden as next President at very short odds at the time of the legal challenges at the last Presidential election. Maybe I was wrong and Trump had a non-zero chance. But it felt like taking small sums from idiots.
    Pennies and steamrollers. At 1.01 you have to be looking at solvency and actuarial risks and stuff. You can make the same risk free in 8 weeks with a fscs guarantee at current interest rates
    Ah but if you can do it 100 times a day?
    OK. 100 steamrollers you are now dodging. And in this case there aren't multiple lays you can make anyway, it's not like laying 100 us pres runners all at once because there's not 100 candidates.
    I've no idea of the maths but there must be a few whales out there with an API and a dream. Maybe the short odds are fundamentally mispriced or there's an inefficiency somewhere. I've certainly seen very large amounts staked on odds of 1.01.
  • Options
    SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,727
    Does anyone here know anything about something called "Forbes Breaking News" which keeps popping up on my YouTube. And appears to be 100% MAGA-maniac bullshit.

    For example, latest is touting . . . wait for it . . . Robert F Kennedy Jr.

    They also think that Jim Jordan is the bees knees.

    And saws online, that Forbes is now under majority-Chinese/HK ownership. Coincidence?
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 20,234
    Tories out to 8 on Betfair for Uxbridge.

    Is this value?
  • Options
    TazTaz Posts: 11,411

    Cookie said:

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    In all honesty, that was my initial suspicion when I first saw it.
    But the thing is, it was good.
    You can get away with a lot if your product is actually good. Nowadays, mostly they forget that bit (see Women Ghostbusters (can't remember the real name)).
    Everybody now: It's pancake day, it's pancake day, it's p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake day...
    A load of classic kids TV on BritBox for the summer. Have now moved onto Rentaghost
    Not a series well served by DVD release or YouTube.

    Lynda La Plante, when she was a jobbing actor, appeared in it for a season or two.

    It’s entertaining stuff.
  • Options
    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 31,048
    edited July 2023

    Cookie said:

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    In all honesty, that was my initial suspicion when I first saw it.
    But the thing is, it was good.
    You can get away with a lot if your product is actually good. Nowadays, mostly they forget that bit (see Women Ghostbusters (can't remember the real name)).
    Everybody now: It's pancake day, it's pancake day, it's p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake day...
    The women ghostbusters was ace. Really well done. Do not understand the hostility towards it.
    I just didn't find it funny. I was surprised because I like the actors in it. But it really lacked that spark that made the first two such fun. I do wonder if it was just down to the lack of two specific actors - Dan Ackroyd and Bill Murray. I suspect that an all male remake would have fallen equally flat without them.

    And I thought the writing was lazy. Its a bit like the Jodie Whittaker Doctor Who. She is a fab actress and it could have been fab. The fact it wasn't has nothing to do with her at all and everything to do with really (REALLY!) poor writing that walked all over canon.
  • Options
    OmniumOmnium Posts: 9,832

    Nigelb said:

    Florida…

    New Florida teaching standards say African Americans received some ‘personal benefit’ from slavery
    https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/20/florida-black-history-teaching-standards-00107067

    The only major upside of climate change will be when Florida slips beneath the Atlantic waves.
    And lose the treasure that is Maro-bonehead-o-sado? I wonder what he has there? Nutter, President, 4 years, 'no rules',... it's going to be disappointing. The empty man.
  • Options
    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 31,048

    Does anyone here know anything about something called "Forbes Breaking News" which keeps popping up on my YouTube. And appears to be 100% MAGA-maniac bullshit.

    For example, latest is touting . . . wait for it . . . Robert F Kennedy Jr.

    They also think that Jim Jordan is the bees knees.

    And saws online, that Forbes is now under majority-Chinese/HK ownership. Coincidence?

    Not being funny but doesn't Youtube push stuff based on your previous viewing history?

    And no, not seen anything of it.
  • Options
    OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,223
    Leon said:

    I do find the concern about the colour of someones skin (or gender) in a work of fiction to be a strange concept. I think one of the best versions of David Copperfield I have ever seen was the 2019 version with Dev Patel. Just brilliant because all you could see was the quality of the acting.

    It does worry me that we have this move towards claiming that minority characters can only be played by someone from that minority. It seems to undermine the whole point of acting.

    Snow White not being very very white does seem a tad egregious. In the latest movie she is kinda Hispanic and dusky

    The whole point of the fairy tale is that she has snowy white skin. Hence her name

    I’ve no problem with casting anyone as anyone, within reason, but when it actually destroys the basic premise of the story: then yes. I have a problem.
    It's ironic because the Hispanic star, Rachel Zegler, rose to fame playing Maria in the Spielberg remake of West Side Story, where she took on the role (a Puerto Rican) that had been played by Natalie Wood, a white actress, in the original film. So perhaps this is some kind of payback.
    I wonder whether this will cause the same furore as when Disney remade the Little Mermaid with a black actor, Halle Bailey, in the title role - when everyone knows that mermaids are white!
  • Options
    TimSTimS Posts: 9,962

    Tories out to 8 on Betfair for Uxbridge.

    Is this value?

    I think it probably is. At the very least done punters may get the heeby jeebies later in the night before the results so you can cash in then.
  • Options
    SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,727

    Cookie said:

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    In all honesty, that was my initial suspicion when I first saw it.
    But the thing is, it was good.
    You can get away with a lot if your product is actually good. Nowadays, mostly they forget that bit (see Women Ghostbusters (can't remember the real name)).
    Everybody now: It's pancake day, it's pancake day, it's p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake day...
    The women ghostbusters was ace. Really well done. Do not understand the hostility towards it.
    Because it was NOT funny? Which is problematic for an (alleged) comedy?
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 20,234
    Any road… cricket.

    Reckon the strategy is to absolutely smash us to 200 lead then stick them in just before lunch.

    Thoughts?
  • Options
    PeckPeck Posts: 517
    edited July 2023
    Omnium said:

    Farage, apology, World news.. WTF!

    They're spreading the message that the City of London is happy to take (almost) ANY rich person's money, and they're spreading it worldwide.

    The question is whether Nigel Farage has got Russian snow on his boots. This is a man who

    1. Has frequently appeared on Russia Today.

    2. Was a leading figure on one side of the Brexit referendum pushing for a result that among foreign leaders practically only President Putin signalled that he wanted.

    3. Represents a political tendency that is somewhat fluid and has been backed by the Russian state elsewhere including in France.

    4. Acts in a way that shall we say causes awkwardness in the City of London, at a time when the Russian government has signalled that it puts a lot of blame on the British government for backing the Ukrainian war effort including with specific reference to the latest Kerch bridge incident, to which they said they would respond.

    OK roleplay it please. Say you watch British politics and media at the Russian embassy in London or the Britain desk in Moscow. Let's assume for the sake of argument that you had no involvement in the Coutts and Farage story. Do you frame it as a positive or negative development? Then take it from there.
  • Options
    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 31,048
    edited July 2023

    Leon said:

    I do find the concern about the colour of someones skin (or gender) in a work of fiction to be a strange concept. I think one of the best versions of David Copperfield I have ever seen was the 2019 version with Dev Patel. Just brilliant because all you could see was the quality of the acting.

    It does worry me that we have this move towards claiming that minority characters can only be played by someone from that minority. It seems to undermine the whole point of acting.

    Snow White not being very very white does seem a tad egregious. In the latest movie she is kinda Hispanic and dusky

    The whole point of the fairy tale is that she has snowy white skin. Hence her name

    I’ve no problem with casting anyone as anyone, within reason, but when it actually destroys the basic premise of the story: then yes. I have a problem.
    It's ironic because the Hispanic star, Rachel Zegler, rose to fame playing Maria in the Spielberg remake of West Side Story, where she took on the role (a Puerto Rican) that had been played by Natalie Wood, a white actress, in the original film. So perhaps this is some kind of payback.
    I wonder whether this will cause the same furore as when Disney remade the Little Mermaid with a black actor, Halle Bailey, in the title role - when everyone knows that mermaids are white!
    I think the Halle Bailey Mermaid is fine. But I do get the point Leon is making about a character called 'Snow White' because of a specific characteristic but who then... wasn't.

    Not that it is really worth falling out over :)
  • Options
    SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,727

    Does anyone here know anything about something called "Forbes Breaking News" which keeps popping up on my YouTube. And appears to be 100% MAGA-maniac bullshit.

    For example, latest is touting . . . wait for it . . . Robert F Kennedy Jr.

    They also think that Jim Jordan is the bees knees.

    And saws online, that Forbes is now under majority-Chinese/HK ownership. Coincidence?

    Not being funny but doesn't Youtube push stuff based on your previous viewing history?

    And no, not seen anything of it.
    Think they also push stuff that they get paid to push.

    I do check out some political stuff, but NOT enough to deserve FBN. Which appears to be similar to GB.
  • Options
    TimSTimS Posts: 9,962

    I don't normally have anything good to say about Ryanair, but this is a commendable move from them, and builds confidence in Ukraine's post-war future.

    https://kyivindependent.com/ryanair-announces-post-war-return-to-ukraine-3-billion-investment/

    Wizz are selling tickets to Ukraine I notice. But then Wizz sell tickets to all sorts of places including Iraq.
  • Options
    OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,223

    Cookie said:

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    In all honesty, that was my initial suspicion when I first saw it.
    But the thing is, it was good.
    You can get away with a lot if your product is actually good. Nowadays, mostly they forget that bit (see Women Ghostbusters (can't remember the real name)).
    Everybody now: It's pancake day, it's pancake day, it's p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake day...
    The women ghostbusters was ace. Really well done. Do not understand the hostility towards it.
    Because it was NOT funny? Which is problematic for an (alleged) comedy?
    The original film is actually shit too, as anyone who has watched it as an adult will know. Of course watching it as a kid when it came out I loved it.
  • Options
    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,715
    This might be the greatest piece of sports journalism ever.

    This has been an Ashes series of nip and tuck, of ebb and flow, of fine margins and a pendulum that has swung one way and then the other. But on a giddy second day at Old Trafford these themes were burned to the ground by a frankly absurd 189 from Zak Crawley and three sessions of outright English dominance over Australia.

    Will it be enough to set up a blockbuster decider at the Oval? The weather gods may yet have their say. But England could scarcely have put themselves in a better position to make it so, their plunderbats having treated Pat Cummins & co with a level of contempt last witnessed from the Fast Show’s competitive dad all those years ago.


    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jul/20/england-australia-ashes-fourth-test-day-two-match-report
  • Options
    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 31,048

    Any road… cricket.

    Reckon the strategy is to absolutely smash us to 200 lead then stick them in just before lunch.

    Thoughts?

    It really would be daft for this to be the point at which they decide Bazball isn't the best way to go.
  • Options
    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 15,609

    Cookie said:

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    In all honesty, that was my initial suspicion when I first saw it.
    But the thing is, it was good.
    You can get away with a lot if your product is actually good. Nowadays, mostly they forget that bit (see Women Ghostbusters (can't remember the real name)).
    Everybody now: It's pancake day, it's pancake day, it's p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake day...
    The women ghostbusters was ace. Really well done. Do not understand the hostility towards it.
    I just didn't find it funny. I was surprised because I like the actors in it. But it really lacked that spark that made the first two such fun. I do wonder if it was just down to the lack of two specific actors - Dan Ackroyd and Bill Murray. I suspect that an all male remake would have fallen equally flat without them.

    And I thought the writing was lazy. Its a bit like the Jodie Whittaker Doctor Who. She is a fab actress and it could have been fab. The fact it wasn't has nothing to do with her at all and everything to do with really (REALLY!) poor writing that walked all over canon.
    I agree that the writing for the Jodie Whittaker Doctor was almost completely awful, but I found the ghostbusters very funny. Maybe it's easy to make me laugh.
  • Options
    SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,727

    Cookie said:

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    In all honesty, that was my initial suspicion when I first saw it.
    But the thing is, it was good.
    You can get away with a lot if your product is actually good. Nowadays, mostly they forget that bit (see Women Ghostbusters (can't remember the real name)).
    Everybody now: It's pancake day, it's pancake day, it's p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake day...
    The women ghostbusters was ace. Really well done. Do not understand the hostility towards it.
    Because it was NOT funny? Which is problematic for an (alleged) comedy?
    The original film is actually shit too, as anyone who has watched it as an adult will know. Of course watching it as a kid when it came out I loved it.
    Disagree, seeing as how I was an adult when I first saw it, and still think it's funny.

    BTT that "anyone who has watched it as an adult will know" is pretty juvenile IMHO.
  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 20,234
    TimS said:

    Tories out to 8 on Betfair for Uxbridge.

    Is this value?

    I think it probably is. At the very least done punters may get the heeby jeebies later in the night before the results so you can cash in then.
    Just had a tiny wager (£12) matched at 8.2. That will do. Let’s see where the market goes when the polls close.
  • Options
    OmniumOmnium Posts: 9,832
    Peck said:

    Omnium said:

    Farage, apology, World news.. WTF!

    They're spreading the message that the City of London is happy to take (almost) ANY rich person's money, and they're spreading it worldwide.

    The question is whether Nigel Farage has got Russian snow on his boots. This is a man who

    1. Has frequently appeared on Russia Today.

    2. Was a leading figure on one side of the Brexit referendum pushing for a result that among foreign leaders practically only President Putin signalled that he wanted.

    3. Represents a political tendency that is somewhat fluid and has been backed by the Russian state elsewhere including in France.

    4. Acts in a way that shall we say causes awkwardness in the City of London, at a time when the Russian government has signalled that it puts a lot of blame on the British government for backing the Ukrainian war effort including with specific reference to the latest Kerch bridge incident, to which they said they would respond.
    So I guess we'll agree that Farage news is of little importance then? If there was never, ever a Farage story ever again I'd not be unhappy. (Unless of course he has something of merit to say. And once upon a time he did)

    Your point 2 is meaningless - of course he was on the side of Brexit. He was there long before any world leaders could be involved.

    1, 3 and 4 aren't terribly damning either.

  • Options
    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 20,234

    Any road… cricket.

    Reckon the strategy is to absolutely smash us to 200 lead then stick them in just before lunch.

    Thoughts?

    It really would be daft for this to be the point at which they decide Bazball isn't the best way to go.
    Quite right. This is the ultimate Bazball opportunity. If we lost 7-50 tomorrow then so what? Game on.
  • Options
    SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,727

    Leon said:

    I do find the concern about the colour of someones skin (or gender) in a work of fiction to be a strange concept. I think one of the best versions of David Copperfield I have ever seen was the 2019 version with Dev Patel. Just brilliant because all you could see was the quality of the acting.

    It does worry me that we have this move towards claiming that minority characters can only be played by someone from that minority. It seems to undermine the whole point of acting.

    Snow White not being very very white does seem a tad egregious. In the latest movie she is kinda Hispanic and dusky

    The whole point of the fairy tale is that she has snowy white skin. Hence her name

    I’ve no problem with casting anyone as anyone, within reason, but when it actually destroys the basic premise of the story: then yes. I have a problem.
    It's ironic because the Hispanic star, Rachel Zegler, rose to fame playing Maria in the Spielberg remake of West Side Story, where she took on the role (a Puerto Rican) that had been played by Natalie Wood, a white actress, in the original film. So perhaps this is some kind of payback.
    I wonder whether this will cause the same furore as when Disney remade the Little Mermaid with a black actor, Halle Bailey, in the title role - when everyone knows that mermaids are white!
    I think the Halle Bailey Mermaid is fine. But I do get the point Leon is making about a character called 'Snow White' because of a specific characteristic but who then... wasn't.

    Not that it is really worth falling out over :)
    First time I have ever heard anyone saw that "Snow White" was called that because of her lily-white skin color.

    Stupidly, always assumed it was because she was pure at heart.
  • Options
    OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,223

    Leon said:

    I do find the concern about the colour of someones skin (or gender) in a work of fiction to be a strange concept. I think one of the best versions of David Copperfield I have ever seen was the 2019 version with Dev Patel. Just brilliant because all you could see was the quality of the acting.

    It does worry me that we have this move towards claiming that minority characters can only be played by someone from that minority. It seems to undermine the whole point of acting.

    Snow White not being very very white does seem a tad egregious. In the latest movie she is kinda Hispanic and dusky

    The whole point of the fairy tale is that she has snowy white skin. Hence her name

    I’ve no problem with casting anyone as anyone, within reason, but when it actually destroys the basic premise of the story: then yes. I have a problem.
    It's ironic because the Hispanic star, Rachel Zegler, rose to fame playing Maria in the Spielberg remake of West Side Story, where she took on the role (a Puerto Rican) that had been played by Natalie Wood, a white actress, in the original film. So perhaps this is some kind of payback.
    I wonder whether this will cause the same furore as when Disney remade the Little Mermaid with a black actor, Halle Bailey, in the title role - when everyone knows that mermaids are white!
    I think the Halle Bailey Mermaid is fine. But I do get the point Leon is making about a character called 'Snow White' because of a specific characteristic but who then... wasn't.

    Not that it is really worth falling out over :)
    It's just her name though, it's not like she's Othello and her racial background is key to the whole story. The point is that she is young and beautiful and this angers her stepmother who is growing old - and the story dates from a time where having very fair skin was synonymous with beauty - which isn't really the case for Western beauty standards these days. Rachel Zegler is certainly very beautiful in a youthful and innocent kind of way, so I think it is decent casting.
  • Options
    SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 15,727

    Cookie said:

    I'm watching this horrible woke kids program where they've regendered the lead role and added a rasta just to be PC. It's a terrible sign of modernity in this leftie do-gooder world.

    No, hang on, it's Maid Marion and Her Merry Men from 1989.

    In all honesty, that was my initial suspicion when I first saw it.
    But the thing is, it was good.
    You can get away with a lot if your product is actually good. Nowadays, mostly they forget that bit (see Women Ghostbusters (can't remember the real name)).
    Everybody now: It's pancake day, it's pancake day, it's p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake day...
    The women ghostbusters was ace. Really well done. Do not understand the hostility towards it.
    I just didn't find it funny. I was surprised because I like the actors in it. But it really lacked that spark that made the first two such fun. I do wonder if it was just down to the lack of two specific actors - Dan Ackroyd and Bill Murray. I suspect that an all male remake would have fallen equally flat without them.

    And I thought the writing was lazy. Its a bit like the Jodie Whittaker Doctor Who. She is a fab actress and it could have been fab. The fact it wasn't has nothing to do with her at all and everything to do with really (REALLY!) poor writing that walked all over canon.
    I agree that the writing for the Jodie Whittaker Doctor was almost completely awful, but I found the ghostbusters very funny. Maybe it's easy to make me laugh.
    To each their own! And vive la difference! (In manner of speaking.)
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,399
    ohnotnow said:

    ydoethur said:

    Is anyone counting overnight?

    Every night. Lots of sheep.
    Tell me you are Welsh without telling me you are Welsh.
    Reminds me of "Why don't you need to ask someone if they are from Yorkshire? Because they'll have told you before you could finish the question."
    They'll have boasted to you surely?
  • Options
    OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,223

    Leon said:

    I do find the concern about the colour of someones skin (or gender) in a work of fiction to be a strange concept. I think one of the best versions of David Copperfield I have ever seen was the 2019 version with Dev Patel. Just brilliant because all you could see was the quality of the acting.

    It does worry me that we have this move towards claiming that minority characters can only be played by someone from that minority. It seems to undermine the whole point of acting.

    Snow White not being very very white does seem a tad egregious. In the latest movie she is kinda Hispanic and dusky

    The whole point of the fairy tale is that she has snowy white skin. Hence her name

    I’ve no problem with casting anyone as anyone, within reason, but when it actually destroys the basic premise of the story: then yes. I have a problem.
    It's ironic because the Hispanic star, Rachel Zegler, rose to fame playing Maria in the Spielberg remake of West Side Story, where she took on the role (a Puerto Rican) that had been played by Natalie Wood, a white actress, in the original film. So perhaps this is some kind of payback.
    I wonder whether this will cause the same furore as when Disney remade the Little Mermaid with a black actor, Halle Bailey, in the title role - when everyone knows that mermaids are white!
    I think the Halle Bailey Mermaid is fine. But I do get the point Leon is making about a character called 'Snow White' because of a specific characteristic but who then... wasn't.

    Not that it is really worth falling out over :)
    First time I have ever heard anyone saw that "Snow White" was called that because of her lily-white skin color.

    Stupidly, always assumed it was because she was pure at heart.
    Mae West: I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
  • Options
    MiklosvarMiklosvar Posts: 1,855
    edited July 2023
    Peck said:

    Omnium said:

    Farage, apology, World news.. WTF!

    They're spreading the message that the City of London is happy to take (almost) ANY rich person's money, and they're spreading it worldwide.

    The question is whether Nigel Farage has got Russian snow on his boots. This is a man who

    1. Has frequently appeared on Russia Today.

    2. Was a leading figure on one side of the Brexit referendum pushing for a result that among foreign leaders practically only President Putin signalled that he wanted.

    3. Represents a political tendency that is somewhat fluid and has been backed by the Russian state elsewhere including in France.

    4. Acts in a way that shall we say causes awkwardness in the City of London, at a time when the Russian government has signalled that it puts a lot of blame on the British government for backing the Ukrainian war effort including with specific reference to the latest Kerch bridge incident, to which they said they would respond.
    The apology is because the Natwest is bang to rights because as I pointed out earlier there's reports the CEO of natwest sat next to the BBC bod at dinner, and the next day he said his Coutts sources had told him farage was broke

    the next thing about which Coutts is shitting themselves, is when it transpires that Farage was sacked off for (partly) the rather tenuous russian links you allege, whereas Ivan Denisovich Godunov Borisovsky of Moscow and 100 of his cousins have painlessly maintained their Couttski accounts throughout the Ukrainian SMO, with the Social Purity Committee in Coutts not lifting a finger to exclude them.
  • Options
    solarflaresolarflare Posts: 3,623

    This might be the greatest piece of sports journalism ever.

    This has been an Ashes series of nip and tuck, of ebb and flow, of fine margins and a pendulum that has swung one way and then the other. But on a giddy second day at Old Trafford these themes were burned to the ground by a frankly absurd 189 from Zak Crawley and three sessions of outright English dominance over Australia.

    Will it be enough to set up a blockbuster decider at the Oval? The weather gods may yet have their say. But England could scarcely have put themselves in a better position to make it so, their plunderbats having treated Pat Cummins & co with a level of contempt last witnessed from the Fast Show’s competitive dad all those years ago.


    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jul/20/england-australia-ashes-fourth-test-day-two-match-report

    Totally separate but I love how there is an advert for smartmeters now with "Dave Angel, Eco Warrior" in it, played in a way as to suggest everyone remembers who hell he. The Fast Show lives forever.
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,561

    Leon said:

    I do find the concern about the colour of someones skin (or gender) in a work of fiction to be a strange concept. I think one of the best versions of David Copperfield I have ever seen was the 2019 version with Dev Patel. Just brilliant because all you could see was the quality of the acting.

    It does worry me that we have this move towards claiming that minority characters can only be played by someone from that minority. It seems to undermine the whole point of acting.

    Snow White not being very very white does seem a tad egregious. In the latest movie she is kinda Hispanic and dusky

    The whole point of the fairy tale is that she has snowy white skin. Hence her name

    I’ve no problem with casting anyone as anyone, within reason, but when it actually destroys the basic premise of the story: then yes. I have a problem.
    It's ironic because the Hispanic star, Rachel Zegler, rose to fame playing Maria in the Spielberg remake of West Side Story, where she took on the role (a Puerto Rican) that had been played by Natalie Wood, a white actress, in the original film. So perhaps this is some kind of payback.
    I wonder whether this will cause the same furore as when Disney remade the Little Mermaid with a black actor, Halle Bailey, in the title role - when everyone knows that mermaids are white!
    I think the Halle Bailey Mermaid is fine. But I do get the point Leon is making about a character called 'Snow White' because of a specific characteristic but who then... wasn't.

    Not that it is really worth falling out over :)
    First time I have ever heard anyone saw that "Snow White" was called that because of her lily-white skin color.

    Stupidly, always assumed it was because she was pure at heart.
    Mae West: I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
    Really? I thought she flaked.
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,399
    edited July 2023
    Nigelb said:

    Florida…

    New Florida teaching standards say African Americans received some ‘personal benefit’ from slavery
    https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/20/florida-black-history-teaching-standards-00107067

    Wasn't there an HMG sponsored report that suggesting accentuating the positives for descendants of Carribean slaves?
This discussion has been closed.