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The Likely Lad – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 12,118
edited June 8 in General
imageThe Likely Lad – politicalbetting.com

NEW: Two polls this week show President Biden leading Trump by a wide margin among likely voters. Although we should never rely on polls, I’d much rather be Biden than Trump right now:ABC News 49% to 45% (+4)NPR/Marist 52% to 47% (+5) pic.twitter.com/INWqQb7Ban

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Comments

  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,668
    Good morning, everyone.

    Rather depressing stuff.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,093
    edited May 7
    Trump is also determined to get himself locked up, judging by his latest outburst.

    I imagine he assumes that being locked up will play to his base and enhance his standing as a martyr.

    Has he considered, however, that if he's locked up in New York, even if he's found not guilty and released he could still have his bail revoked in Washington or Georgia and end up in prison until he comes to trial - trials he's made every effort to delay?

    Can't imagine that will help with independents or even moderate republicans.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,285
    I'd rather be Biden than Trump at any time.

    Though I wouldn't choose to be either.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,285
    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 12,527

    Good morning, everyone.

    Rather depressing stuff.

    The depressing thing is gerontocracy. I’m 50. Both candidates are older than my parents. And there seems to be no one obvious coming through in either party. At the risk of PB’s social media policeman calling me a “scotch expert” I had the same thought regarding the SNP coronation. They’ve picked a dude who was also leader when I was in my 20s.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,093
    edited May 7
    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    The problem is, Hamas' words are worth precisely nothing. They will simply change their minds later, when the Iranians order them to.

    The Israelis will want guarantees before they agree anything. This didn't even guarantee that the hostages are still alive.
  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 28,771
    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,093

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    Never knew you hated Man U.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,285
    DougSeal said:

    Good morning, everyone.

    Rather depressing stuff.

    The depressing thing is gerontocracy. I’m 50. Both candidates are older than my parents. And there seems to be no one obvious coming through in either party. At the risk of PB’s social media policeman calling me a “scotch expert” I had the same thought regarding the SNP coronation. They’ve picked a dude who was also leader when I was in my 20s.
    There are plenty of Democrats who might make serious presidential challenges in four years' time. But the reality is that Biden is a sitting president who has governed pretty well, and there's never much mileage in challenging first term presidents unless they've ballsed up on a large scale.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,673
    ydoethur said:

    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    The problem is, Hamas' words are worth precisely nothing. They will simply change their minds later, when the Iranians order them to.

    The Israelis will want guarantees before they agree anything. This didn't even guarantee that the hostages are still alive.
    It would buy Israel some time though, and I doubt Hamas would try another October 7 anytime soon given how comprehensively it blew up in their face.

    Israel’s economy must be having a pretty hard time of it and I’m not sure they’re going to want trade sanctions from Turkey indefinitely.
  • nico679nico679 Posts: 6,157
    ydoethur said:

    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    The problem is, Hamas' words are worth precisely nothing. They will simply change their minds later, when the Iranians order them to.

    The Israelis will want guarantees before they agree anything. This didn't even guarantee that the hostages are still alive.
    What if they really do want to end hostilities ? If people refuse to ever accept that this is possible then the cycle of violence will never end .
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,547

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I appreciate that Man U's success over previous decades has generated a lot of jealousy and not a little legitimate Schadenfreude in recent years - fair enough. But this is going *too* far.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,093
    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    The problem is, Hamas' words are worth precisely nothing. They will simply change their minds later, when the Iranians order them to.

    The Israelis will want guarantees before they agree anything. This didn't even guarantee that the hostages are still alive.
    What if they really do want to end hostilities ? If people refuse to ever accept that this is possible then the cycle of violence will never end .
    If they want to end hostilities, why have they not offered guarantees on the hostages being handed over alive?
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,673
    In other news, here’s a where am I quiz for the morning.



    Not quite the Grand Canyon rim (I agree with others on that by the way, strangely unmoving vs elsewhere in that region) but a pleasant breakfast view. Sliced cheese for scale.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,673
    ydoethur said:

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    The problem is, Hamas' words are worth precisely nothing. They will simply change their minds later, when the Iranians order them to.

    The Israelis will want guarantees before they agree anything. This didn't even guarantee that the hostages are still alive.
    What if they really do want to end hostilities ? If people refuse to ever accept that this is possible then the cycle of violence will never end .
    If they want to end hostilities, why have they not offered guarantees on the hostages being handed over alive?
    Presumably because many are already dead.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,547

    Good morning, everyone.

    Rather depressing stuff.

    Really? I was rather cheered by the header.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,285
    Israeli forces say they have operational control of Palestinian side of Rafah crossing in Gaza

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/07/israel-idf-control-rafah-crossing-gaza-palestine-side-hamas-war-latest-update
    Israeli military forces have taken control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, a key strategic objective and the sole gateway between Egypt and Gaza for humanitarian aid, Israeli military officials have confirmed.

    “At the moment we have operational control of the Gazan side of the Rafah crossing and we have special forces scanning the crossing … That is what is happening in the upcoming hours. The operation is not over … I can’t give a timeline,” a military official said on Tuesday morning.

    The spokesperson of the Gaza border authority on Tuesday confirmed the presence of Israeli tanks at the Rafah crossing. Aid officials in the territory said that the flow of aid through the crossing has been halted...


  • nico679nico679 Posts: 6,157
    ydoethur said:

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    The problem is, Hamas' words are worth precisely nothing. They will simply change their minds later, when the Iranians order them to.

    The Israelis will want guarantees before they agree anything. This didn't even guarantee that the hostages are still alive.
    What if they really do want to end hostilities ? If people refuse to ever accept that this is possible then the cycle of violence will never end .
    If they want to end hostilities, why have they not offered guarantees on the hostages being handed over alive?
    Well of course they should be handed over alive . But it’s obvious some have died in the IDF attacks . It’s not in the interests of Hamas to kill the hostages given its their only leverage . And clearly there’s no way any more hostages will be released until there’s a deal agreed.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,673

    Good morning, everyone.

    Rather depressing stuff.

    Really? I was rather cheered by the header.
    I initially misread it as Trump leading too, because the chart looks like an opinion poll tracker.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,093
    edited May 7
    TimS said:

    ydoethur said:

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    The problem is, Hamas' words are worth precisely nothing. They will simply change their minds later, when the Iranians order them to.

    The Israelis will want guarantees before they agree anything. This didn't even guarantee that the hostages are still alive.
    What if they really do want to end hostilities ? If people refuse to ever accept that this is possible then the cycle of violence will never end .
    If they want to end hostilities, why have they not offered guarantees on the hostages being handed over alive?
    Presumably because many are already dead.
    Yes, very probably. But that means, immediately, in implying they will hand them over alive Hamas are lying already.

    Which, coupled to their long history of false phrases and double dealing, leaves them with a credibility gap slightly larger than Donald Trump's ego.

    Hamas are in a weak negotiating position. Doubly so because Netanyahu and large chunks of his cabinet want to continue the war. The people of Gaza literally have guns pointed at their head and the finger round the trigger is tightening. They really can't afford for Hamas to ask for or even unilaterally agree to generous terms.
  • eekeek Posts: 27,962

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I'm surprised he hasn't posted something over night to trigger him ending up in a jail. But, as you say, unless someone removes him from all social media he's likely to post something troublesome sooner rather than later..
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,093
    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    The problem is, Hamas' words are worth precisely nothing. They will simply change their minds later, when the Iranians order them to.

    The Israelis will want guarantees before they agree anything. This didn't even guarantee that the hostages are still alive.
    What if they really do want to end hostilities ? If people refuse to ever accept that this is possible then the cycle of violence will never end .
    If they want to end hostilities, why have they not offered guarantees on the hostages being handed over alive?
    Well of course they should be handed over alive . But it’s obvious some have died in the IDF attacks . It’s not in the interests of Hamas to kill the hostages given its their only leverage . And clearly there’s no way any more hostages will be released until there’s a deal agreed.
    Hmmm. Very easy to say they've died in 'Israeli attacks,' and possibly true, but it seems overwhelmingly likely many more will have been killed by Hamas. Killing Israelis is what Hamas does. What it enjoys.

    The point I think you are missing is that releasing hostages is what will get them a deal, not the other way around.
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 12,527
    edited May 7
    We’ll cope with that. At least we’re not Spurs fans.

    True story. When we were at our lowest ebb four or five years ago attempted to sympathise on FB with a soon to be ex-friend’s lament over a poor Tottenham performance by saying “could be worse, you could be an Ipswich fan like me”.

    “Fuck off with comparing us to your tiny club”, my old school chum replied.

    “Well, we won the league more recently than you” I replied.

    He unfriended me and we haven’t spoken since. His loss.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,093
    eek said:

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I'm surprised he hasn't posted something over night to trigger him ending up in a jail. But, as you say, unless someone removes him from all social media he's likely to post something troublesome sooner rather than later..
    He's been posting images of Biden being killed in inventive ways. What could be more troublesome than that?
  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 28,771

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I appreciate that Man U's success over previous decades has generated a lot of jealousy and not a little legitimate Schadenfreude in recent years - fair enough. But this is going *too* far.
    I'm a United fan. Sometimes you need to blow up what is there are rebuild differently. ETH is on his way. Most of the players are on their way. Radcliffe's criticism of a dirty dishevelled back office means many of the management teams are on their way.

    TRUSS isn't me saying Liz Truss for manager, just as TRUSS isn't saying make her PM again. TRUSS is that moment where you blow it up, a deliberate demolition of the mess in front of you when you can see you must go back to the foundations.

    I am not interested in who the next manager will be, because any manager hired by this football club within its current structure will be a failure. We don't need a new manager, we need TRUSS. Blow it up.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 49,483
    eek said:

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I'm surprised he hasn't posted something over night to trigger him ending up in a jail. But, as you say, unless someone removes him from all social media he's likely to post something troublesome sooner rather than later..
    The judge has given him every inch of rope. Because he, the judge, knows that sending Trump to prison will set off legal stuff up to the Supreme Court. And he wants what he does to stick…

    OT: I’d like to see polling from the swing states. While in theory, a fair lead gets you the electoral college automatically, the polarisation of the electorate and “sectionalism” as they used to call it…
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 12,527
    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I'm surprised he hasn't posted something over night to trigger him ending up in a jail. But, as you say, unless someone removes him from all social media he's likely to post something troublesome sooner rather than later..
    He's been posting images of Biden being killed in inventive ways. What could be more troublesome than that?
    I think there are even fewer Old Pence (no pun intended) to his Shilling than there were before. He’s losing it.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,300
    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    The problem is, Hamas' words are worth precisely nothing. They will simply change their minds later, when the Iranians order them to.

    The Israelis will want guarantees before they agree anything. This didn't even guarantee that the hostages are still alive.
    What if they really do want to end hostilities ? If people refuse to ever accept that this is possible then the cycle of violence will never end .
    If they want to end hostilities, why have they not offered guarantees on the hostages being handed over alive?
    Well of course they should be handed over alive . But it’s obvious some have died in the IDF attacks . It’s not in the interests of Hamas to kill the hostages given its their only leverage . And clearly there’s no way any more hostages will be released until there’s a deal agreed.
    Good morning everybody!
    I’m rather surprised that after all the Israeli effort, no hostages have been found, alive or dead. Apart from the three the Israelis shot themselves!
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,910
    Pedantic and are the graph line labels the wrong way round for Biden and Trump?

    Or have I misread it?
  • nico679nico679 Posts: 6,157
    ydoethur said:

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    The problem is, Hamas' words are worth precisely nothing. They will simply change their minds later, when the Iranians order them to.

    The Israelis will want guarantees before they agree anything. This didn't even guarantee that the hostages are still alive.
    What if they really do want to end hostilities ? If people refuse to ever accept that this is possible then the cycle of violence will never end .
    If they want to end hostilities, why have they not offered guarantees on the hostages being handed over alive?
    Well of course they should be handed over alive . But it’s obvious some have died in the IDF attacks . It’s not in the interests of Hamas to kill the hostages given its their only leverage . And clearly there’s no way any more hostages will be released until there’s a deal agreed.
    Hmmm. Very easy to say they've died in 'Israeli attacks,' and possibly true, but it seems overwhelmingly likely many more will have been killed by Hamas. Killing Israelis is what Hamas does. What it enjoys.

    The point I think you are missing is that releasing hostages is what will get them a deal, not the other way around.
    Hamas are evil but not totally stupid . Their leverage is the hostages alive . The hostages that have died are likely to be because of IDF bombings.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 119,208

    Pedantic and are the graph line labels the wrong way round for Biden and Trump?

    Or have I misread it?

    No, that's the Betfair prices over the last month.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,673

    Pedantic and are the graph line labels the wrong way round for Biden and Trump?

    Or have I misread it?

    Betting odds
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 42,155
    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    I read that quote; but you must also read it in context with the 'deal' Hamas have agreed. The conditions include: "The reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip over a period of three to five years – including homes, civilian facilities, and infrastructure – and compensating all those affected begins,"

    I'd strongly argue that Hamas giving up hostile activity would be a prerequisite of reconstruction; because reconstruction's rather hard if one side is still hostile. As for compensation: that's a whole other mess.

    Personally, I don't want genocide by any of the parties involved in this hideous situation. And that means both Israel and Hamas.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 49,483
    DougSeal said:

    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I'm surprised he hasn't posted something over night to trigger him ending up in a jail. But, as you say, unless someone removes him from all social media he's likely to post something troublesome sooner rather than later..
    He's been posting images of Biden being killed in inventive ways. What could be more troublesome than that?
    I think there are even fewer Old Pence (no pun intended) to his Shilling than there were before. He’s losing it.
    Trump can’t entirely convert his legal troubles into “persecution” - even in his own mind. Which means he is losing. In a public and definable way that can’t be spun as winning. Even in his own head.

    His entire internal “story” is that he is the winner. Always. Winning the presidency escalated that to insane levels.

    Actually, provably, publicly losing is an existential event for his personality.

    Truss : presumably she would introduce 1-1-8 formation at Man U?
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,093
    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    The problem is, Hamas' words are worth precisely nothing. They will simply change their minds later, when the Iranians order them to.

    The Israelis will want guarantees before they agree anything. This didn't even guarantee that the hostages are still alive.
    What if they really do want to end hostilities ? If people refuse to ever accept that this is possible then the cycle of violence will never end .
    If they want to end hostilities, why have they not offered guarantees on the hostages being handed over alive?
    Well of course they should be handed over alive . But it’s obvious some have died in the IDF attacks . It’s not in the interests of Hamas to kill the hostages given its their only leverage . And clearly there’s no way any more hostages will be released until there’s a deal agreed.
    Hmmm. Very easy to say they've died in 'Israeli attacks,' and possibly true, but it seems overwhelmingly likely many more will have been killed by Hamas. Killing Israelis is what Hamas does. What it enjoys.

    The point I think you are missing is that releasing hostages is what will get them a deal, not the other way around.
    Hamas are evil but not totally stupid . Their leverage is the hostages alive . The hostages that have died are likely to be because of IDF bombings.
    October 7th - where many of them seem to have genuinely believed they were going to conquer the whole of Israel - says otherwise.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 42,155

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    The problem is, Hamas' words are worth precisely nothing. They will simply change their minds later, when the Iranians order them to.

    The Israelis will want guarantees before they agree anything. This didn't even guarantee that the hostages are still alive.
    What if they really do want to end hostilities ? If people refuse to ever accept that this is possible then the cycle of violence will never end .
    If they want to end hostilities, why have they not offered guarantees on the hostages being handed over alive?
    Well of course they should be handed over alive . But it’s obvious some have died in the IDF attacks . It’s not in the interests of Hamas to kill the hostages given its their only leverage . And clearly there’s no way any more hostages will be released until there’s a deal agreed.
    Good morning everybody!
    I’m rather surprised that after all the Israeli effort, no hostages have been found, alive or dead. Apart from the three the Israelis shot themselves!
    My WAGs would be that may of the hostages are either dead and well buried; not in Gaza any more, or Hamas is still very much in functioning form in Gaza and can readily move the hostages about.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 22,624
    Good morning everyone.

    Update on the Regents Park cycling collision story I commented on at the weekend.

    I hadn't noticed the excellent name of the Police Sergeant involved, who is presumably ex-Rainbow.

    "Police Detective Sergeant Ropafadzo Bungo"

    I also had not noticed witness statements that they considered the cyclist not to have been at fault. But I stand by my comments that certain things are readily available to be done on the Outer Circle to improve safety.

    https://archive.ph/1BfAa
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,093

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    The problem is, Hamas' words are worth precisely nothing. They will simply change their minds later, when the Iranians order them to.

    The Israelis will want guarantees before they agree anything. This didn't even guarantee that the hostages are still alive.
    What if they really do want to end hostilities ? If people refuse to ever accept that this is possible then the cycle of violence will never end .
    If they want to end hostilities, why have they not offered guarantees on the hostages being handed over alive?
    Well of course they should be handed over alive . But it’s obvious some have died in the IDF attacks . It’s not in the interests of Hamas to kill the hostages given its their only leverage . And clearly there’s no way any more hostages will be released until there’s a deal agreed.
    Good morning everybody!
    I’m rather surprised that after all the Israeli effort, no hostages have been found, alive or dead. Apart from the three the Israelis shot themselves!
    My WAGs would be that may of the hostages are either dead and well buried; not in Gaza any more, or Hamas is still very much in functioning form in Gaza and can readily move the hostages about.
    All of those scenarios involve complete failure of official Israeli policy, no?

    (To be fair, there's the official pretext for the invasion and the actual reason.)
  • MattWMattW Posts: 22,624
    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    I think that is a case of "if you believe that, you'll believe anything."

    I'd suggest the decision is for the Iranian Government, not Hamas. They would either reinvent Hamas, or create something else similar.
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 12,527

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    The problem is, Hamas' words are worth precisely nothing. They will simply change their minds later, when the Iranians order them to.

    The Israelis will want guarantees before they agree anything. This didn't even guarantee that the hostages are still alive.
    What if they really do want to end hostilities ? If people refuse to ever accept that this is possible then the cycle of violence will never end .
    If they want to end hostilities, why have they not offered guarantees on the hostages being handed over alive?
    Well of course they should be handed over alive . But it’s obvious some have died in the IDF attacks . It’s not in the interests of Hamas to kill the hostages given its their only leverage . And clearly there’s no way any more hostages will be released until there’s a deal agreed.
    Good morning everybody!
    I’m rather surprised that after all the Israeli effort, no hostages have been found, alive or dead. Apart from the three the Israelis shot themselves!
    My WAGs would be that may of the hostages are either dead and well buried; not in Gaza any more, or Hamas is still very much in functioning form in Gaza and can readily move the hostages about.
    Given cruel way he used to zip closed poor old Zippy‘s mouth I’m not surprised he joined the Met
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,910

    Pedantic and are the graph line labels the wrong way round for Biden and Trump?

    Or have I misread it?

    No, that's the Betfair prices over the last month.
    Thanks
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 49,483
    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    nico679 said:

    ydoethur said:

    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    The problem is, Hamas' words are worth precisely nothing. They will simply change their minds later, when the Iranians order them to.

    The Israelis will want guarantees before they agree anything. This didn't even guarantee that the hostages are still alive.
    What if they really do want to end hostilities ? If people refuse to ever accept that this is possible then the cycle of violence will never end .
    If they want to end hostilities, why have they not offered guarantees on the hostages being handed over alive?
    Well of course they should be handed over alive . But it’s obvious some have died in the IDF attacks . It’s not in the interests of Hamas to kill the hostages given its their only leverage . And clearly there’s no way any more hostages will be released until there’s a deal agreed.
    Hmmm. Very easy to say they've died in 'Israeli attacks,' and possibly true, but it seems overwhelmingly likely many more will have been killed by Hamas. Killing Israelis is what Hamas does. What it enjoys.

    The point I think you are missing is that releasing hostages is what will get them a deal, not the other way around.
    Hamas are evil but not totally stupid . Their leverage is the hostages alive . The hostages that have died are likely to be because of IDF bombings.
    You are assuming rational decision making by a participant in the Middle East conflict?

    If that is too near to judge dispassionately - recall the recent Balkan Wars. Consider the example of the Croat militias. When the Americans armed the anti-Serb forces to end the war, they made clear

    1) the purpose of the offensive was to drive the Serbs out if land they had conquered.
    2) atrocities would be dealt with very harshly.
    3) everyone agreed to this
    4) within 5 minutes of stating the offensive, some of the Croat militias started mistreating civilians
    5) the Americans had been expecting this. They cut the units in question off from supplies and support. The militias in question were wiped out by Serb counter attacks. Which the Americans practically encouraged
    6) even after the first round of this, the Americans had to do it again.

  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 12,527

    DougSeal said:

    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I'm surprised he hasn't posted something over night to trigger him ending up in a jail. But, as you say, unless someone removes him from all social media he's likely to post something troublesome sooner rather than later..
    He's been posting images of Biden being killed in inventive ways. What could be more troublesome than that?
    I think there are even fewer Old Pence (no pun intended) to his Shilling than there were before. He’s losing it.
    Trump can’t entirely convert his legal troubles into “persecution” - even in his own mind. Which means he is losing. In a public and definable way that can’t be spun as winning. Even in his own head.

    His entire internal “story” is that he is the winner. Always. Winning the presidency escalated that to insane levels.

    Actually, provably, publicly losing is an existential event for his personality.

    Truss : presumably she would introduce 1-1-8 formation at Man U?
    I think she would forgo a goalkeeper on the grounds that they are plants by Deep FIFA to stifle growth. So 1-1-9.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,910
    On topic, encouraging but a long way to go yet.

    The State polling is even more important.
  • kamskikamski Posts: 5,113
    Cherry-picking polls in the header?

    Other recent polls of likely voters have Trump ahead, and Trump is also doing a little better in the swing states than in national polling.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 42,155
    MattW said:

    Good morning everyone.

    Update on the Regents Park cycling collision story I commented on at the weekend.

    I hadn't noticed the excellent name of the Police Sergeant involved, who is presumably ex-Rainbow.

    "Police Detective Sergeant Ropafadzo Bungo"

    I also had not noticed witness statements that they considered the cyclist not to have been at fault. But I stand by my comments that certain things are readily available to be done on the Outer Circle to improve safety.

    https://archive.ph/1BfAa

    Additionally:

    "Because it took her 59 days to die from head injury “complications”, she will not appear on official data as a pedestrian killed on a road following a collision with a cyclist."
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,123
    I don’t think they’ve done anything especially bad. Goodman’s comments weren’t great. By all means say that Ipswich’s defensive record is a challenge in the run in, but to call it “shocking” was something of an exaggeration. FWIW, the last team to go up with a worse defensive record (Norwich in 2010-11) stayed up.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 49,483
    MattW said:

    Good morning everyone.

    Update on the Regents Park cycling collision story I commented on at the weekend.

    I hadn't noticed the excellent name of the Police Sergeant involved, who is presumably ex-Rainbow.

    "Police Detective Sergeant Ropafadzo Bungo"

    I also had not noticed witness statements that they considered the cyclist not to have been at fault. But I stand by my comments that certain things are readily available to be done on the Outer Circle to improve safety.

    https://archive.ph/1BfAa

    I’ve heard a story that Regents Park are thinking of installing rumble strip sections. Which apparently will barely inconvenience most users, but will be extremely annoying to people on a rigid frame, low profile tires and high speed.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 49,483
    DougSeal said:

    DougSeal said:

    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I'm surprised he hasn't posted something over night to trigger him ending up in a jail. But, as you say, unless someone removes him from all social media he's likely to post something troublesome sooner rather than later..
    He's been posting images of Biden being killed in inventive ways. What could be more troublesome than that?
    I think there are even fewer Old Pence (no pun intended) to his Shilling than there were before. He’s losing it.
    Trump can’t entirely convert his legal troubles into “persecution” - even in his own mind. Which means he is losing. In a public and definable way that can’t be spun as winning. Even in his own head.

    His entire internal “story” is that he is the winner. Always. Winning the presidency escalated that to insane levels.

    Actually, provably, publicly losing is an existential event for his personality.

    Truss : presumably she would introduce 1-1-8 formation at Man U?
    I think she would forgo a goalkeeper on the grounds that they are plants by Deep FIFA to stifle growth. So 1-1-9.
    What about 0-0-11? Thinking about it, 1-1-9 is a bit…. Conservative?
  • MattWMattW Posts: 22,624
    TimS said:

    In other news, here’s a where am I quiz for the morning.



    Not quite the Grand Canyon rim (I agree with others on that by the way, strangely unmoving vs elsewhere in that region) but a pleasant breakfast view. Sliced cheese for scale.

    I'd slightly superficially plump for Valencia, Spain, on the basis that that brick building in the middle with the steeple (lighthouse?) looks like the 1920s (?) factory/boat/warehouse or whatever it was in the docks area used iirc as pit garages in the GP, and because of the cranes.

    It's been some years since I was there, however.

    If it is, will you be visiting Calatrava's beetle building? I find Calatrava interesting, but his buildings not creative except in concept. On details I go more for Wren.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,673
    I can only conclude my where am I photo was so deadly boring that nobody could be bothered to guess.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,397
    MattW said:

    Nigelb said:

    Having read through the dreary end of the last thread, with several PBers readily giving a provisional thumbs up to genocide, I hope this one starts off better.

    I see none of them quoted this, FWIW.

    ...A senior Palestinian official familiar with the proposal told the BBC that Hamas had agreed to end "hostile activity forever" if the conditions were met...

    I think that is a case of "if you believe that, you'll believe anything."

    I'd suggest the decision is for the Iranian Government, not Hamas. They would either reinvent Hamas, or create something else similar.
    There's no need for Iran to do that. The IDF has created a situation with a couple of hundred thousand Palestinian children to grow up with a fanatical hatred of Israel and nothing else to live for.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 27,510
    DougSeal said:

    Good morning, everyone.

    Rather depressing stuff.

    The depressing thing is gerontocracy. I’m 50. Both candidates are older than my parents. And there seems to be no one obvious coming through in either party. At the risk of PB’s social media policeman calling me a “scotch expert” I had the same thought regarding the SNP coronation. They’ve picked a dude who was also leader when I was in my 20s.
    John Swinney was born in 1964, according to Wikipedia. He is several years away from his state pension.
  • nico679nico679 Posts: 6,157
    Looks like good boating weather this week !

    Probably the busiest week of the year .
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,220

    eek said:

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I'm surprised he hasn't posted something over night to trigger him ending up in a jail. But, as you say, unless someone removes him from all social media he's likely to post something troublesome sooner rather than later..
    The judge has given him every inch of rope. Because he, the judge, knows that sending Trump to prison will set off legal stuff up to the Supreme Court. And he wants what he does to stick…

    OT: I’d like to see polling from the swing states. While in theory, a fair lead gets you the electoral college automatically, the polarisation of the electorate and “sectionalism” as they used to call it…
    Here’s last week’s swing state polling. Look away now if you don’t want to know the result.

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/04/30/trump-leads-biden-swing-states-poll/73510374007/
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 12,527
    tlg86 said:

    I don’t think they’ve done anything especially bad. Goodman’s comments weren’t great. By all means say that Ipswich’s defensive record is a challenge in the run in, but to call it “shocking” was something of an exaggeration. FWIW, the last team to go up with a worse defensive record (Norwich in 2010-11) stayed up.
    He was saying we would fall away all season. If you give it that much from, roughly, September through April you’re going to get stick. Also - Leeds.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,702
    nico679 said:

    Looks like good boating weather this week !

    Probably the busiest week of the year .

    But Rwanda is working. I am sure I heard that somewhere...
  • MattWMattW Posts: 22,624
    TimS said:

    I can only conclude my where am I photo was so deadly boring that nobody could be bothered to guess.

    Badly timed comment :smile:
  • SirNorfolkPassmoreSirNorfolkPassmore Posts: 7,120

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    If Trump is "jailed" over the gag order, at most (initially) it will be that he's held in court detention for an hour or two. Essentially, he'll have to to have his lunch in a room adjacent to the court rather than being allowed to go out to play with his friends.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 62,657

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    Good morning

    Nòoooooooooo
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,600
    TimS said:

    I can only conclude my where am I photo was so deadly boring that nobody could be bothered to guess.

    Venice? The architecture is very reminiscent of Waherhouse's Ruskinian-style museum at Oxford, etc.
  • nico679nico679 Posts: 6,157
    Scott_xP said:

    nico679 said:

    Looks like good boating weather this week !

    Probably the busiest week of the year .

    But Rwanda is working. I am sure I heard that somewhere...
    Sunak will just say that the deterrent won’t kick in till the flights take off regardless of the fact the legislation is now law. And then he’ll blame Labour for being ahead in the polls and the asylum seekers thinking that they can come as Labour are going to ditch the policy if they win . Mark my words the right wing press will go heavily on that .
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 12,527

    DougSeal said:

    Good morning, everyone.

    Rather depressing stuff.

    The depressing thing is gerontocracy. I’m 50. Both candidates are older than my parents. And there seems to be no one obvious coming through in either party. At the risk of PB’s social media policeman calling me a “scotch expert” I had the same thought regarding the SNP coronation. They’ve picked a dude who was also leader when I was in my 20s.
    John Swinney was born in 1964, according to Wikipedia. He is several years away from his state pension.
    Six years? Anyway, it’s relative. He’s six years older than Sturgeon and 21 years older than Yousaf. It feels like things are going backwards. Gen X to Millennial, then a jump back to a Boomer, who’s had one go already.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 62,657
    edited May 7

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I appreciate that Man U's success over previous decades has generated a lot of jealousy and not a little legitimate Schadenfreude in recent years - fair enough. But this is going *too* far.
    I'm a United fan. Sometimes you need to blow up what is there are rebuild differently. ETH is on his way. Most of the players are on their way. Radcliffe's criticism of a dirty dishevelled back office means many of the management teams are on their way.

    TRUSS isn't me saying Liz Truss for manager, just as TRUSS isn't saying make her PM again. TRUSS is that moment where you blow it up, a deliberate demolition of the mess in front of you when you can see you must go back to the foundations.

    I am not interested in who the next manager will be, because any manager hired by this football club within its current structure will be a failure. We don't need a new manager, we need TRUSS. Blow it up.
    Your explanation meets my 100% approval having been a Man Utd supporter since 1953 and was in the depth of despair living through the Munich Air disaster and being present in Barcelona when we won the treble.

    Experienced every emotion but never wavered
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,673
    MattW said:

    TimS said:

    I can only conclude my where am I photo was so deadly boring that nobody could be bothered to guess.

    Badly timed comment :smile:
    I should have waited for PB to awake.

    The two guesses so far - Valencia and Venice, are quite cold in afraid.
  • SirNorfolkPassmoreSirNorfolkPassmore Posts: 7,120

    DougSeal said:

    DougSeal said:

    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I'm surprised he hasn't posted something over night to trigger him ending up in a jail. But, as you say, unless someone removes him from all social media he's likely to post something troublesome sooner rather than later..
    He's been posting images of Biden being killed in inventive ways. What could be more troublesome than that?
    I think there are even fewer Old Pence (no pun intended) to his Shilling than there were before. He’s losing it.
    Trump can’t entirely convert his legal troubles into “persecution” - even in his own mind. Which means he is losing. In a public and definable way that can’t be spun as winning. Even in his own head.

    His entire internal “story” is that he is the winner. Always. Winning the presidency escalated that to insane levels.

    Actually, provably, publicly losing is an existential event for his personality.

    Truss : presumably she would introduce 1-1-8 formation at Man U?
    I think she would forgo a goalkeeper on the grounds that they are plants by Deep FIFA to stifle growth. So 1-1-9.
    What about 0-0-11? Thinking about it, 1-1-9 is a bit…. Conservative?
    No doubt it'd be criticised by the PFA, Gary Lineker, and Roy Keane - or the "Anti-Goal Coalition" as I call them.
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 12,527

    DougSeal said:

    DougSeal said:

    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I'm surprised he hasn't posted something over night to trigger him ending up in a jail. But, as you say, unless someone removes him from all social media he's likely to post something troublesome sooner rather than later..
    He's been posting images of Biden being killed in inventive ways. What could be more troublesome than that?
    I think there are even fewer Old Pence (no pun intended) to his Shilling than there were before. He’s losing it.
    Trump can’t entirely convert his legal troubles into “persecution” - even in his own mind. Which means he is losing. In a public and definable way that can’t be spun as winning. Even in his own head.

    His entire internal “story” is that he is the winner. Always. Winning the presidency escalated that to insane levels.

    Actually, provably, publicly losing is an existential event for his personality.

    Truss : presumably she would introduce 1-1-8 formation at Man U?
    I think she would forgo a goalkeeper on the grounds that they are plants by Deep FIFA to stifle growth. So 1-1-9.
    What about 0-0-11? Thinking about it, 1-1-9 is a bit…. Conservative?
    No doubt it'd be criticised by the PFA, Gary Lineker, and Roy Keane - or the "Anti-Goal Coalition" as I call them.
    Very good!
  • MattWMattW Posts: 22,624
    edited May 7

    MattW said:

    Good morning everyone.

    Update on the Regents Park cycling collision story I commented on at the weekend.

    I hadn't noticed the excellent name of the Police Sergeant involved, who is presumably ex-Rainbow.

    "Police Detective Sergeant Ropafadzo Bungo"

    I also had not noticed witness statements that they considered the cyclist not to have been at fault. But I stand by my comments that certain things are readily available to be done on the Outer Circle to improve safety.

    https://archive.ph/1BfAa

    I’ve heard a story that Regents Park are thinking of installing rumble strip sections. Which apparently will barely inconvenience most users, but will be extremely annoying to people on a rigid frame, low profile tires and high speed.
    If there three signalised crossings and various zebras that are already there have not made much difference, it will take a lot of rumble strip sections - like a couple of dozen (which would be one every 125m).

    For some debate, this story has hit road.cc for the Monday live blog; there'll be some interesting comments which are usually perceptive if with certain biases.

    I got as far as the first one noting the nominally distinguished policeman. I'll have another look later.
    https://road.cc/content/news/no-charges-cyclist-after-crash-which-oap-was-killed-308209

    (Update - yes quite good comments from many viewpoints.)
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,729
    edited May 7
    TimS said:

    MattW said:

    TimS said:

    I can only conclude my where am I photo was so deadly boring that nobody could be bothered to guess.

    Badly timed comment :smile:
    I should have waited for PB to awake.

    The two guesses so far - Valencia and Venice, are quite cold in afraid.
    The style of the architecture looks more eastern, and I was thinking Helsinki, except that having been there last year it clearly isn’t on the basis that I don’t recognise anything. And it looks too sunny and warm.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,667
    This is a little long but my word is it punchy: https://youtu.be/-EmHOSRDveE

    Discussing the evidence of Hope Hicks and getting an interesting insight into the mindset of those who support Donald Trump.

    Well worth a watch. You get monsters like Donald Trump because of people like Hope Hicks.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 62,215

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    If Trump is "jailed" over the gag order, at most (initially) it will be that he's held in court detention for an hour or two. Essentially, he'll have to to have his lunch in a room adjacent to the court rather than being allowed to go out to play with his friends.
    He can have a nod in there.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 62,215
    Morning all,

    Heartening news on Biden vote. I remain optimistic.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 49,483
    kamski said:

    Cherry-picking polls in the header?

    Other recent polls of likely voters have Trump ahead, and Trump is also doing a little better in the swing states than in national polling.

    https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2024-swing-the-election/
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,673
    IanB2 said:

    TimS said:

    MattW said:

    TimS said:

    I can only conclude my where am I photo was so deadly boring that nobody could be bothered to guess.

    Badly timed comment :smile:
    I should have waited for PB to awake.

    The two guesses so far - Valencia and Venice, are quite cold in afraid.
    The style of the architecture looks more eastern, and I was thinking Helsinki, except that having been there last year it clearly isn’t on the basis that I don’t recognise anything. And it looks too sunny and warm.
    Getting warmer (geographically, not meteorologically)
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 49,483
    MattW said:

    MattW said:

    Good morning everyone.

    Update on the Regents Park cycling collision story I commented on at the weekend.

    I hadn't noticed the excellent name of the Police Sergeant involved, who is presumably ex-Rainbow.

    "Police Detective Sergeant Ropafadzo Bungo"

    I also had not noticed witness statements that they considered the cyclist not to have been at fault. But I stand by my comments that certain things are readily available to be done on the Outer Circle to improve safety.

    https://archive.ph/1BfAa

    I’ve heard a story that Regents Park are thinking of installing rumble strip sections. Which apparently will barely inconvenience most users, but will be extremely annoying to people on a rigid frame, low profile tires and high speed.
    If there three signalised crossings and various zebras that are already there have not made much difference, it will take a lot of rumble strip sections - like a couple of dozen (which would be one every 125m).

    For some debate, this story has hit road.cc for the Monday live blog; there'll be some interesting comments which are usually perceptive if with certain biases.

    I got as far as the first one noting the nominally distinguished policeman. I'll have another look later.
    https://road.cc/content/news/no-charges-cyclist-after-crash-which-oap-was-killed-308209

    (Update - yes quite good comments from many viewpoints.)
    As I understand it, the rumble strips would be to “defend” the pedestrian crossings. Slow the cyclists down and then keep their speed down until past the pedestrian crossings.
  • SelebianSelebian Posts: 8,588
    @TimS the tower looks very much like the one in Stockholm, but can't say I recognise the rest of it
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 27,510
    Gambled away in the financial crisis - The Deutsche Bank story | DW Documentary
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19m_U_HHqrg

    DW is a bit like the German equivalent of the BBC Foreign Service. The documentary is in English.

    Deutsche Bank was Donald Trump's lender of choice, so it is sort of on-topic for this thread.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,667
    DougSeal said:

    DougSeal said:

    Good morning, everyone.

    Rather depressing stuff.

    The depressing thing is gerontocracy. I’m 50. Both candidates are older than my parents. And there seems to be no one obvious coming through in either party. At the risk of PB’s social media policeman calling me a “scotch expert” I had the same thought regarding the SNP coronation. They’ve picked a dude who was also leader when I was in my 20s.
    John Swinney was born in 1964, according to Wikipedia. He is several years away from his state pension.
    Six years? Anyway, it’s relative. He’s six years older than Sturgeon and 21 years older than Yousaf. It feels like things are going backwards. Gen X to Millennial, then a jump back to a Boomer, who’s had one go already.
    In 15 years or so he will be old enough to run for President of the United States.

    Swinney has a number of problems, including a record of incompetence and positive harm in many of the posts he has held over his career. His time in charge of education was perhaps the, one hesitates to say highlight, of his career. But age isn't one of the many problems he faces. The SNP have replaced Yousless with Useless. 2 more years to go.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 22,624

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    If Trump is "jailed" over the gag order, at most (initially) it will be that he's held in court detention for an hour or two. Essentially, he'll have to to have his lunch in a room adjacent to the court rather than being allowed to go out to play with his friends.
    He can have a nod in there.
    I'd suggest the more appropriate step would be to revoke his release due to whatr we would call "breach of bail conditions".

    It's absolutely routine in the USA, and Trump is a normal criminal defendant found guilty of the criminal of contempt of Court, whilst his bail conditions require him not to commit *any* offences.

    Being purist, it has nothing to do with his likely candidacy for President. He is responsible for the consequences whether he jumps out of a window, or commits contempt. If the Republicans are stupid enough to select a charged criminal suspect as their candidate, that's their lookout.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,673
    Selebian said:

    @TimS the tower looks very much like the one in Stockholm, but can't say I recognise the rest of it

    Very good. Stockholm from the roof of the Hobo hotel. The water and the church were the clues. Rather a sparkling if chilly morning.
  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 28,771

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I appreciate that Man U's success over previous decades has generated a lot of jealousy and not a little legitimate Schadenfreude in recent years - fair enough. But this is going *too* far.
    I'm a United fan. Sometimes you need to blow up what is there are rebuild differently. ETH is on his way. Most of the players are on their way. Radcliffe's criticism of a dirty dishevelled back office means many of the management teams are on their way.

    TRUSS isn't me saying Liz Truss for manager, just as TRUSS isn't saying make her PM again. TRUSS is that moment where you blow it up, a deliberate demolition of the mess in front of you when you can see you must go back to the foundations.

    I am not interested in who the next manager will be, because any manager hired by this football club within its current structure will be a failure. We don't need a new manager, we need TRUSS. Blow it up.
    Your explanation meets my 100% approval having been a Man Utd supporter since 1953 and was in the depth of despair living through the Munich Air disaster and being present in Barcelona when we won the treble.

    Experienced every emotion but never wavered
    Cup Final? Play the kids. Most of the first team do not deserve to play. "You'll never win anything with kids" is how Alan Hansen dismissed the Class of 93. Wrong. Liverpool did the same in their cup final recently.

    The thing is, this team? I actively WANT us to lose.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 41,918

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I appreciate that Man U's success over previous decades has generated a lot of jealousy and not a little legitimate Schadenfreude in recent years - fair enough. But this is going *too* far.
    I'm a United fan. Sometimes you need to blow up what is there are rebuild differently. ETH is on his way. Most of the players are on their way. Radcliffe's criticism of a dirty dishevelled back office means many of the management teams are on their way.

    TRUSS isn't me saying Liz Truss for manager, just as TRUSS isn't saying make her PM again. TRUSS is that moment where you blow it up, a deliberate demolition of the mess in front of you when you can see you must go back to the foundations.

    I am not interested in who the next manager will be, because any manager hired by this football club within its current structure will be a failure. We don't need a new manager, we need TRUSS. Blow it up.
    Your explanation meets my 100% approval having been a Man Utd supporter since 1953 and was in the depth of despair living through the Munich Air disaster and being present in Barcelona when we won the treble.

    Experienced every emotion but never wavered
    Do you remember The Doc? Back from the old Div2 and a cup win?
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,729
    TimS said:

    Selebian said:

    @TimS the tower looks very much like the one in Stockholm, but can't say I recognise the rest of it

    Very good. Stockholm from the roof of the Hobo hotel. The water and the church were the clues. Rather a sparkling if chilly morning.
    I will claim half a point for at least being vaguely in the right part of Europe!
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,667
    On topic I hesitate to point out again, because it gives me no joy whatsoever, that Trump is currently ahead in the polling nationally and, even more importantly, is ahead in the polling in every battleground state, every single one.

    https://www.realclearpolitics.com/

    This was not the position in 2016 when he was well behind on the polling and got fewer votes over the country as a whole and still won. He is well ahead of where he was then, well ahead.

    If he was anyone other than Donald Trump you would be calling this for him at this stage. We don't because we don't want to believe it. I don't want to believe it. But Trump is winning and the markets referred to in the thread header are high on Hopium.
  • SelebianSelebian Posts: 8,588
    TimS said:

    Selebian said:

    @TimS the tower looks very much like the one in Stockholm, but can't say I recognise the rest of it

    Very good. Stockholm from the roof of the Hobo hotel. The water and the church were the clues. Rather a sparkling if chilly morning.
    Just googled the hotel - ah, I see where you are, don't know that bit really. I've spent some time at the university over several trips and stayed on Gamla Stan and in the suburbs, but once had a meeting at the city hall and remembered the rather distinctive top of that tower.
  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 28,771
    kinabalu said:

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I appreciate that Man U's success over previous decades has generated a lot of jealousy and not a little legitimate Schadenfreude in recent years - fair enough. But this is going *too* far.
    I'm a United fan. Sometimes you need to blow up what is there are rebuild differently. ETH is on his way. Most of the players are on their way. Radcliffe's criticism of a dirty dishevelled back office means many of the management teams are on their way.

    TRUSS isn't me saying Liz Truss for manager, just as TRUSS isn't saying make her PM again. TRUSS is that moment where you blow it up, a deliberate demolition of the mess in front of you when you can see you must go back to the foundations.

    I am not interested in who the next manager will be, because any manager hired by this football club within its current structure will be a failure. We don't need a new manager, we need TRUSS. Blow it up.
    Your explanation meets my 100% approval having been a Man Utd supporter since 1953 and was in the depth of despair living through the Munich Air disaster and being present in Barcelona when we won the treble.

    Experienced every emotion but never wavered
    Do you remember The Doc? Back from the old Div2 and a cup win?
    As a small kid I became a Liverpool fan because my mates were Liverpool fans and Liverpool were winning. Then my (patient) granddad pointed out that the family originates from Salford and that he used to take my dad and uncles down to The Cliff to watch the team train.

    Then I became a United fan.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 28,047
    kinabalu said:

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I appreciate that Man U's success over previous decades has generated a lot of jealousy and not a little legitimate Schadenfreude in recent years - fair enough. But this is going *too* far.
    I'm a United fan. Sometimes you need to blow up what is there are rebuild differently. ETH is on his way. Most of the players are on their way. Radcliffe's criticism of a dirty dishevelled back office means many of the management teams are on their way.

    TRUSS isn't me saying Liz Truss for manager, just as TRUSS isn't saying make her PM again. TRUSS is that moment where you blow it up, a deliberate demolition of the mess in front of you when you can see you must go back to the foundations.

    I am not interested in who the next manager will be, because any manager hired by this football club within its current structure will be a failure. We don't need a new manager, we need TRUSS. Blow it up.
    Your explanation meets my 100% approval having been a Man Utd supporter since 1953 and was in the depth of despair living through the Munich Air disaster and being present in Barcelona when we won the treble.

    Experienced every emotion but never wavered
    Do you remember The Doc? Back from the old Div2 and a cup win?
    The "I've had more clubs than Jack Nicklaus" Doc?

    As Aston Villa manager he vowed to get them out of Division 2. They were relegated.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 41,918

    kinabalu said:

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I appreciate that Man U's success over previous decades has generated a lot of jealousy and not a little legitimate Schadenfreude in recent years - fair enough. But this is going *too* far.
    I'm a United fan. Sometimes you need to blow up what is there are rebuild differently. ETH is on his way. Most of the players are on their way. Radcliffe's criticism of a dirty dishevelled back office means many of the management teams are on their way.

    TRUSS isn't me saying Liz Truss for manager, just as TRUSS isn't saying make her PM again. TRUSS is that moment where you blow it up, a deliberate demolition of the mess in front of you when you can see you must go back to the foundations.

    I am not interested in who the next manager will be, because any manager hired by this football club within its current structure will be a failure. We don't need a new manager, we need TRUSS. Blow it up.
    Your explanation meets my 100% approval having been a Man Utd supporter since 1953 and was in the depth of despair living through the Munich Air disaster and being present in Barcelona when we won the treble.

    Experienced every emotion but never wavered
    Do you remember The Doc? Back from the old Div2 and a cup win?
    As a small kid I became a Liverpool fan because my mates were Liverpool fans and Liverpool were winning. Then my (patient) granddad pointed out that the family originates from Salford and that he used to take my dad and uncles down to The Cliff to watch the team train.

    Then I became a United fan.
    I was a keen Utd fan as a teenager - used to cry when they lost - but now after long years in North London I'm with who I have to be with. The Arse.
  • CiceroCicero Posts: 3,054
    TimS said:

    Selebian said:

    @TimS the tower looks very much like the one in Stockholm, but can't say I recognise the rest of it

    Very good. Stockholm from the roof of the Hobo hotel. The water and the church were the clues. Rather a sparkling if chilly morning.
    I think the Brick Tower is the Stockholm Town Hall, not a Church
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,026
    edited May 7
    On the two new polls in the thread header, it looks like little change from 2020. Trump is still getting around the 47% who voted for him then but Biden is now winning back the Independents who voted for him last time over Trump but who did not vote for Hillary in 2016 ie the voters who will decide the election
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    TimS said:

    MattW said:

    TimS said:

    I can only conclude my where am I photo was so deadly boring that nobody could be bothered to guess.

    Badly timed comment :smile:
    I should have waited for PB to awake.

    The two guesses so far - Valencia and Venice, are quite cold in afraid.
    Baltic? Stockholm?
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,667
    kinabalu said:

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I appreciate that Man U's success over previous decades has generated a lot of jealousy and not a little legitimate Schadenfreude in recent years - fair enough. But this is going *too* far.
    I'm a United fan. Sometimes you need to blow up what is there are rebuild differently. ETH is on his way. Most of the players are on their way. Radcliffe's criticism of a dirty dishevelled back office means many of the management teams are on their way.

    TRUSS isn't me saying Liz Truss for manager, just as TRUSS isn't saying make her PM again. TRUSS is that moment where you blow it up, a deliberate demolition of the mess in front of you when you can see you must go back to the foundations.

    I am not interested in who the next manager will be, because any manager hired by this football club within its current structure will be a failure. We don't need a new manager, we need TRUSS. Blow it up.
    Your explanation meets my 100% approval having been a Man Utd supporter since 1953 and was in the depth of despair living through the Munich Air disaster and being present in Barcelona when we won the treble.

    Experienced every emotion but never wavered
    Do you remember The Doc? Back from the old Div2 and a cup win?
    I remember Gordon McQueen, Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, players who would play through a brick wall for you in hard times. In the current squad I would give McTominey and Fernandes a pass on that. The rest can go so far as I am concerned.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 41,918

    kinabalu said:

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I appreciate that Man U's success over previous decades has generated a lot of jealousy and not a little legitimate Schadenfreude in recent years - fair enough. But this is going *too* far.
    I'm a United fan. Sometimes you need to blow up what is there are rebuild differently. ETH is on his way. Most of the players are on their way. Radcliffe's criticism of a dirty dishevelled back office means many of the management teams are on their way.

    TRUSS isn't me saying Liz Truss for manager, just as TRUSS isn't saying make her PM again. TRUSS is that moment where you blow it up, a deliberate demolition of the mess in front of you when you can see you must go back to the foundations.

    I am not interested in who the next manager will be, because any manager hired by this football club within its current structure will be a failure. We don't need a new manager, we need TRUSS. Blow it up.
    Your explanation meets my 100% approval having been a Man Utd supporter since 1953 and was in the depth of despair living through the Munich Air disaster and being present in Barcelona when we won the treble.

    Experienced every emotion but never wavered
    Do you remember The Doc? Back from the old Div2 and a cup win?
    The "I've had more clubs than Jack Nicklaus" Doc?

    As Aston Villa manager he vowed to get them out of Division 2. They were relegated.
    Yes, bit of an operator, the doc was. Think we'd call him 'old school'.
  • RattersRatters Posts: 1,046
    DavidL said:

    On topic I hesitate to point out again, because it gives me no joy whatsoever, that Trump is currently ahead in the polling nationally and, even more importantly, is ahead in the polling in every battleground state, every single one.

    https://www.realclearpolitics.com/

    This was not the position in 2016 when he was well behind on the polling and got fewer votes over the country as a whole and still won. He is well ahead of where he was then, well ahead.

    If he was anyone other than Donald Trump you would be calling this for him at this stage. We don't because we don't want to believe it. I don't want to believe it. But Trump is winning and the markets referred to in the thread header are high on Hopium.

    There's 1.1pts in it nationally according to RCP you linked. The Economist tracker is similar.

    That's a race that is neck and neck when we're still 6 months out from election day. Trump may be favourite but the polling lead isn't insurmountable in the way it is for the Tories here (where most people assume a small swingback but in this case it still leaves them 10+ points behind).
  • MattWMattW Posts: 22,624
    edited May 7

    MattW said:

    MattW said:

    Good morning everyone.

    Update on the Regents Park cycling collision story I commented on at the weekend.

    I hadn't noticed the excellent name of the Police Sergeant involved, who is presumably ex-Rainbow.

    "Police Detective Sergeant Ropafadzo Bungo"

    I also had not noticed witness statements that they considered the cyclist not to have been at fault. But I stand by my comments that certain things are readily available to be done on the Outer Circle to improve safety.

    https://archive.ph/1BfAa

    I’ve heard a story that Regents Park are thinking of installing rumble strip sections. Which apparently will barely inconvenience most users, but will be extremely annoying to people on a rigid frame, low profile tires and high speed.
    If there three signalised crossings and various zebras that are already there have not made much difference, it will take a lot of rumble strip sections - like a couple of dozen (which would be one every 125m).

    For some debate, this story has hit road.cc for the Monday live blog; there'll be some interesting comments which are usually perceptive if with certain biases.

    I got as far as the first one noting the nominally distinguished policeman. I'll have another look later.
    https://road.cc/content/news/no-charges-cyclist-after-crash-which-oap-was-killed-308209

    (Update - yes quite good comments from many viewpoints.)
    As I understand it, the rumble strips would be to “defend” the pedestrian crossings. Slow the cyclists down and then keep their speed down until past the pedestrian crossings.
    As I understand it the collision was not at a formal pedestrian crossing - it was at a point with a refuge island. One suggestion from the person riding the cycle was that there could be a zebra crossing added at the crossing point.

    Rumble strips could help, if used correctly - which assumes a competence on the part of the authorities which may not exist. I'd have no objection if no hazard is introduced for everyday cyclists or wheelers in any conditions.

    "Make it more dangerous for people riding cycles" is a sticky-plaster strategy used far too often that usually has unintended consequences. It is usually a plaster on an inadequate design.

    An example of poor quality basic design is on the celebrated roundabout at Fender Lane in Cambridge with a raised parallel crossing to prioritise pedestrians / cyclists. There some of the speed reduction "20mph" signs (down from 30mph) have been installed so close to the pedestrian crossing that there is not even enough distance from the sign to the crossing to do a Highway Code distance emergency stop from 20mph, never mind for dozy people who have not seen the sign, or dangerous people who are ignoring it.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,673
    Cicero said:

    TimS said:

    Selebian said:

    @TimS the tower looks very much like the one in Stockholm, but can't say I recognise the rest of it

    Very good. Stockholm from the roof of the Hobo hotel. The water and the church were the clues. Rather a sparkling if chilly morning.
    I think the Brick Tower is the Stockholm Town Hall, not a Church
    Yes, right you are.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 21,944

    TimS said:

    MattW said:

    TimS said:

    I can only conclude my where am I photo was so deadly boring that nobody could be bothered to guess.

    Badly timed comment :smile:
    I should have waited for PB to awake.

    The two guesses so far - Valencia and Venice, are quite cold in afraid.
    Baltic? Stockholm?
    Helsinki?
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 41,918
    DavidL said:

    kinabalu said:

    Trump is going to jail later this week. Lets see how that plays out.

    As for the other play, can I suggest a merging of things?

    TRUSS

    for Manchester United

    I appreciate that Man U's success over previous decades has generated a lot of jealousy and not a little legitimate Schadenfreude in recent years - fair enough. But this is going *too* far.
    I'm a United fan. Sometimes you need to blow up what is there are rebuild differently. ETH is on his way. Most of the players are on their way. Radcliffe's criticism of a dirty dishevelled back office means many of the management teams are on their way.

    TRUSS isn't me saying Liz Truss for manager, just as TRUSS isn't saying make her PM again. TRUSS is that moment where you blow it up, a deliberate demolition of the mess in front of you when you can see you must go back to the foundations.

    I am not interested in who the next manager will be, because any manager hired by this football club within its current structure will be a failure. We don't need a new manager, we need TRUSS. Blow it up.
    Your explanation meets my 100% approval having been a Man Utd supporter since 1953 and was in the depth of despair living through the Munich Air disaster and being present in Barcelona when we won the treble.

    Experienced every emotion but never wavered
    Do you remember The Doc? Back from the old Div2 and a cup win?
    I remember Gordon McQueen, Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, players who would play through a brick wall for you in hard times. In the current squad I would give McTominey and Fernandes a pass on that. The rest can go so far as I am concerned.
    They do seem rather flaky. Still, top 4 is a tough ask these days ... even for Manchester United Football Club.

    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/12j2Esnn-eY

    (never pales)
This discussion has been closed.