To lighten the mood here’s a picture of our new rescue, Rocko, and the torso of my human alter ego.
Fascinating language creep. You say "rescue" when what I am seeing is a second hand dog. If stuff was happening to it that it really needed "rescuing" from I would be cautious with that breed.
His old owner had one leg and decided a smaller breed was better so gave him up to the council. So we rescued him from Ashford Borough Council. If only we were all so lucky.
Guy has to choose between the dog and his career in the amateur bum-kicking world. I mean, fine, but you bought a second hand dog for a purchase price badged as a "rehoming fee." But I am glad you are happy.
Well that was a lovely, affirming and positive response to my posting a picture of a dog to cheer up the board in what was becoming an acrimonious night on here. Thanks! I’ll do it again sometime.
Sorry.
I will now rescue a beer from the fridge. And rehome it inside me.
No worries. I’ve had my less than glorious moments on here.
GSDs are marvelous. We had a GSD- Border Collie cross years ago. He was a big old boy, but a real gentle giant.
YouTube is full of GSDs fostering kittens. Any intruder interfering with his kittens and the GSD kitten fosterer is content in the knowledge that he could rip the intruder's head off.
Jesus.
These are things for converting tinned horsemeat into dogshit which the owners can put in little plastic bags which they can hang up on trees when nobody is looking. We all have our hobbies, obviously, but can we drop the vibe that buying or rather rescuing one is equivalent to sacrificing ones life to stop an orphanage burning down?
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
No idea but would have thought Starmer (London, small urban seat) will be maybe 2-3 hours before Sunak's (N Yorks, large rural)?
Obv the exit poll will be v important, but I would have thought the first "meltdown bellwether" on the night is Broxbourne? Usually in 1st 10 or so seats to declare, usually in by 12-1 I think? If that goes red I feel we're probably looking at a catastrophic result for Con - gut feel is they will hold by 2-3K?
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
Richmond is after sun up usually. Breakfasty declaration.
Then there’s the concession speech.
But Rishi will have to let the winning Labour candidate speak first after the declaration.
To lighten the mood here’s a picture of our new rescue, Rocko, and the torso of my human alter ego.
Fascinating language creep. You say "rescue" when what I am seeing is a second hand dog. If stuff was happening to it that it really needed "rescuing" from I would be cautious with that breed.
His old owner had one leg and decided a smaller breed was better so gave him up to the council. So we rescued him from Ashford Borough Council. If only we were all so lucky.
Guy has to choose between the dog and his career in the amateur bum-kicking world. I mean, fine, but you bought a second hand dog for a purchase price badged as a "rehoming fee." But I am glad you are happy.
Well that was a lovely, affirming and positive response to my posting a picture of a dog to cheer up the board in what was becoming an acrimonious night on here. Thanks! I’ll do it again sometime.
Sorry.
I will now rescue a beer from the fridge. And rehome it inside me.
No worries. I’ve had my less than glorious moments on here.
GSDs are marvelous. We had a GSD- Border Collie cross years ago. He was a big old boy, but a real gentle giant.
YouTube is full of GSDs fostering kittens. Any intruder interfering with his kittens and the GSD kitten fosterer is content in the knowledge that he could rip the intruder's head off.
Jesus.
These are things for converting tinned horsemeat into dogshit which the owners can put in little plastic bags which they can hang up on trees when nobody is looking. We all have our hobbies, obviously, but can we drop the vibe that buying or rather rescuing one is equivalent to sacrificing ones life to stop an orphanage burning down?
To lighten the mood here’s a picture of our new rescue, Rocko, and the torso of my human alter ego.
Fascinating language creep. You say "rescue" when what I am seeing is a second hand dog. If stuff was happening to it that it really needed "rescuing" from I would be cautious with that breed.
His old owner had one leg and decided a smaller breed was better so gave him up to the council. So we rescued him from Ashford Borough Council. If only we were all so lucky.
Guy has to choose between the dog and his career in the amateur bum-kicking world. I mean, fine, but you bought a second hand dog for a purchase price badged as a "rehoming fee." But I am glad you are happy.
Well that was a lovely, affirming and positive response to my posting a picture of a dog to cheer up the board in what was becoming an acrimonious night on here. Thanks! I’ll do it again sometime.
Sorry.
I will now rescue a beer from the fridge. And rehome it inside me.
No worries. I’ve had my less than glorious moments on here.
GSDs are marvelous. We had a GSD- Border Collie cross years ago. He was a big old boy, but a real gentle giant.
YouTube is full of GSDs fostering kittens. Any intruder interfering with his kittens and the GSD kitten fosterer is content in the knowledge that he could rip the intruder's head off.
I love GSDs. My only problem with them is that when my family had them in the 70s it was at the hieght of the Hip dysplasia issue and the dogs were dying young as a result. So we were rather put off them at the time. My understanding is that Kennel Club rules have clamped down on this as a breeding issue so hopefuly it is something that is no longer a major factor.
No, the breed standard requires a sloping back, and this results in a lot of hip problems still.
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
No idea but would have thought Starmer (London, small urban seat) will be maybe 2-3 hours before Sunak's (N Yorks, large rural)?
Obv the exit poll will be v important, but I would have thought the first "meltdown bellwether" on the night is Broxbourne? Usually in 1st 10 or so seats to declare, usually in by 12-1 I think? If that goes red I feel we're probably looking at a catastrophic result for Con - gut feel is they will hold by 2-3K?
this was the order for the last election in 2019...
To lighten the mood here’s a picture of our new rescue, Rocko, and the torso of my human alter ego.
Fascinating language creep. You say "rescue" when what I am seeing is a second hand dog. If stuff was happening to it that it really needed "rescuing" from I would be cautious with that breed.
His old owner had one leg and decided a smaller breed was better so gave him up to the council. So we rescued him from Ashford Borough Council. If only we were all so lucky.
Guy has to choose between the dog and his career in the amateur bum-kicking world. I mean, fine, but you bought a second hand dog for a purchase price badged as a "rehoming fee." But I am glad you are happy.
Well that was a lovely, affirming and positive response to my posting a picture of a dog to cheer up the board in what was becoming an acrimonious night on here. Thanks! I’ll do it again sometime.
Sorry.
I will now rescue a beer from the fridge. And rehome it inside me.
No worries. I’ve had my less than glorious moments on here.
GSDs are marvelous. We had a GSD- Border Collie cross years ago. He was a big old boy, but a real gentle giant.
YouTube is full of GSDs fostering kittens. Any intruder interfering with his kittens and the GSD kitten fosterer is content in the knowledge that he could rip the intruder's head off.
I love GSDs. My only problem with them is that when my family had them in the 70s it was at the hieght of the Hip dysplasia issue and the dogs were dying young as a result. So we were rather put off them at the time. My understanding is that Kennel Club rules have clamped down on this as a breeding issue so hopefuly it is something that is no longer a major factor.
No, the breed standard requires a sloping back, and this results in a lot of hip problems still.
Thats a shame. I had hoped it was one of those breeding trends they would have banned by now.
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
No idea but would have thought Starmer (London, small urban seat) will be maybe 2-3 hours before Sunak's (N Yorks, large rural)?
Obv the exit poll will be v important, but I would have thought the first "meltdown bellwether" on the night is Broxbourne? Usually in 1st 10 or so seats to declare, usually in by 12-1 I think? If that goes red I feel we're probably looking at a catastrophic result for Con - gut feel is they will hold by 2-3K?
If we lose Broxbourne we are in taxi for the parliamentary party territory!
On the subject of railway stations near to grounds, Drayton Park is in the shadow of the Emirates, but it shuts two hours before kick off (I use it after work as my routine is to go to the greasy spoon opposite the ground).
I can understand the one near Coventry's ground being shut on matchdays (one train with one carriage an hour)..
But Drayton Park? Ten brand new six car trains an hour run each way in peak periods with a capacity of 943 passengers each and brand new ECTS digital signalling.
Weekends are four an hour so plenty of spare trains sitting in the depot to run four extra shuttles an hour between Moorgate and Bowes Park, near Alexandra Palace, where there is a turnback siding. Shows how the railways have lost their way.
Although I am very much in the camp that AI isn't going to be all jobs in every sector in 2-3 years, not to be even having a discussion about how it will effect education and work is quite crazy. We know productivity is piss poor, we should be looking at what it can do for many aspects of the state (this is where Big Dom was actually onto something).
The GE is quite weird. Labour nor Tories really have any big new ideas, its just rehashing old policies with new names as if the world hasn't changed at all since 1997. Other big issues like knife crime, shop lifting, phone snatching, the most I have heard is some nonsense from Labour about well we will make Apple make it harder to reactivate them (but they already all go to China where this is irrelevant).
I’ve talked with people in the film/TV graphics business about AI. Because it has trouble with context, it is, once again useful as an autocomplete tool for small pieces of the work. Bit like how the old masters had a horde of assistants who filled in backgrounds for them.
Same in my industry - software development. It’s being used as a somewhat improved code completion tool. Once you beyond doing some simple functions it rapidly becomes a tool for generating code that does the wrong thing.
For soft stuff it is interesting - ask it what topics are missing in an essay, for example.
There will probably be an arms race to generate vast piles of documents, in certain jobs - and to read them and condense them on the other end.
I'd imagine in editing/producing, it'll be able to do a lot of the initial work. Chopping up the story, identifying different people, transcribing dialogue, and making connections. It probably won't be able to do the 'human' side of understanding humour, but it's not like we need more TV. If it can be made cheaper then there is likely not to be as much work.
I'm an artist, who works mostly designing book covers, and sadly that's something that AI finds far too easy.
If things worked according to predictions there should by now be virtually no hard copy books because of internet, kindle, smartphones and all that; and therefore already no book covers.
Books (I predict) will do fine. I hope the same can be said for proper covers.
Even eBooks need covers - if anything the predictions were that there would be more books published, which is exactly what happened.
The problem is that AI can produce "proper covers" that are better than the majority of designers. Some of the most accomplished artists worked in fantasy and sci-fi, and there are already AI covers in those areas are simply beautiful.
Books will be fine - whether they're written by people is another thing. AI might not be able to write good books, but it will certainly be able to churn out the kind of books that currently sell in big numbers.
How do you decide if one cover is 'better' than another? What metric do you use?
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
The Press Association normally do a list- I don't think they've published it yet.
The expected times in 2019 were: Richmond 4 am Holborn & St Pancras 5 am (dafuq? Central London? I blame incompetent lefty councils)
For me cowgate is the story of the weekend. It seems like evidence that the country is ungovernable. I can't understand why the cow wasn't just shot dead in the first five minutes. It is 500 kilos and running around on the road, it could collide with a car or kill a person by running in to it. If either of these outcomes happened then there would be a different complaint investigation/public inquiry to the one that is now happening. Honestly why are they following a cow around for 5 hours and then there is this half measure of hitting the cow with the car?
I'm a sucker for wishful thinking and Patel as party leader is not something I would ever wish for.
Same.
Patel or Badenoch as leader means Farage is brought into the Tory party which is a big fucking red line for me.
Not even Dave or George could persuade me to stay.
Yep, that happens I'm out.
It will be ok both of you. CON will get 150+. No Farage. You can both stay with CON
Please. We need the support! 👍
I hope you are right. But those who think that the Tories need to move right after this shellacking are ignoring the fact that they could lose even more from the centre if they do.
They won't lose anymore from the centre as virtually the entire centre is now voting Labour or LD. They may not win back those voters for a while though, Reform voters are more easy for a more rightwing Conservative leader to get back
Well, @TSE and I are examples of that not being true.
Even then there are more Tories who have gone Reform than still now Tory voting Tories like you and TSE who might go Labour or LD
You show amazing disrespect for conservatives who are needed, like my wife and I, to vote conservative to outnumber Farage
To outnumber Farage, the Conservatives should only need the one seat. Hopefully Robin Miller is not the holder of that seat.
Although I am very much in the camp that AI isn't going to be all jobs in every sector in 2-3 years, not to be even having a discussion about how it will effect education and work is quite crazy. We know productivity is piss poor, we should be looking at what it can do for many aspects of the state (this is where Big Dom was actually onto something).
The GE is quite weird. Labour nor Tories really have any big new ideas, its just rehashing old policies with new names as if the world hasn't changed at all since 1997. Other big issues like knife crime, shop lifting, phone snatching, the most I have heard is some nonsense from Labour about well we will make Apple make it harder to reactivate them (but they already all go to China where this is irrelevant).
I’ve talked with people in the film/TV graphics business about AI. Because it has trouble with context, it is, once again useful as an autocomplete tool for small pieces of the work. Bit like how the old masters had a horde of assistants who filled in backgrounds for them.
Same in my industry - software development. It’s being used as a somewhat improved code completion tool. Once you beyond doing some simple functions it rapidly becomes a tool for generating code that does the wrong thing.
For soft stuff it is interesting - ask it what topics are missing in an essay, for example.
There will probably be an arms race to generate vast piles of documents, in certain jobs - and to read them and condense them on the other end.
I'd imagine in editing/producing, it'll be able to do a lot of the initial work. Chopping up the story, identifying different people, transcribing dialogue, and making connections. It probably won't be able to do the 'human' side of understanding humour, but it's not like we need more TV. If it can be made cheaper then there is likely not to be as much work.
I'm an artist, who works mostly designing book covers, and sadly that's something that AI finds far too easy.
If things worked according to predictions there should by now be virtually no hard copy books because of internet, kindle, smartphones and all that; and therefore already no book covers.
Books (I predict) will do fine. I hope the same can be said for proper covers.
Even eBooks need covers - if anything the predictions were that there would be more books published, which is exactly what happened.
The problem is that AI can produce "proper covers" that are better than the majority of designers. Some of the most accomplished artists worked in fantasy and sci-fi, and there are already AI covers in those areas are simply beautiful.
Books will be fine - whether they're written by people is another thing. AI might not be able to write good books, but it will certainly be able to churn out the kind of books that currently sell in big numbers.
How do you decide if one cover is 'better' than another? What metric do you use?
The one that sells best?
Unless they're selling the alternative covers in a similar environment, then that's not a valid metric. Especially as it's after the supposed choice...
For me cowgate is the story of the weekend. It seems like evidence that the country is ungovernable. I can't understand why the cow wasn't just shot dead in the first five minutes. It is 500 kilos and running around on the road, it could collide with a car or kill a person by running in to it. If either of these outcomes happened then there would be a different complaint investigation/public inquiry to the one that is now happening. Honestly why are they following a cow around for 5 hours and then there is this half measure of hitting the cow with the car?
I honestly don't understand what their beef is.
The cow was clearly on drugs. Apparently, the steaks had never been higher.
Although I am very much in the camp that AI isn't going to be all jobs in every sector in 2-3 years, not to be even having a discussion about how it will effect education and work is quite crazy. We know productivity is piss poor, we should be looking at what it can do for many aspects of the state (this is where Big Dom was actually onto something).
The GE is quite weird. Labour nor Tories really have any big new ideas, its just rehashing old policies with new names as if the world hasn't changed at all since 1997. Other big issues like knife crime, shop lifting, phone snatching, the most I have heard is some nonsense from Labour about well we will make Apple make it harder to reactivate them (but they already all go to China where this is irrelevant).
I’ve talked with people in the film/TV graphics business about AI. Because it has trouble with context, it is, once again useful as an autocomplete tool for small pieces of the work. Bit like how the old masters had a horde of assistants who filled in backgrounds for them.
Same in my industry - software development. It’s being used as a somewhat improved code completion tool. Once you beyond doing some simple functions it rapidly becomes a tool for generating code that does the wrong thing.
For soft stuff it is interesting - ask it what topics are missing in an essay, for example.
There will probably be an arms race to generate vast piles of documents, in certain jobs - and to read them and condense them on the other end.
I'd imagine in editing/producing, it'll be able to do a lot of the initial work. Chopping up the story, identifying different people, transcribing dialogue, and making connections. It probably won't be able to do the 'human' side of understanding humour, but it's not like we need more TV. If it can be made cheaper then there is likely not to be as much work.
I'm an artist, who works mostly designing book covers, and sadly that's something that AI finds far too easy.
If things worked according to predictions there should by now be virtually no hard copy books because of internet, kindle, smartphones and all that; and therefore already no book covers.
Books (I predict) will do fine. I hope the same can be said for proper covers.
Even eBooks need covers - if anything the predictions were that there would be more books published, which is exactly what happened.
The problem is that AI can produce "proper covers" that are better than the majority of designers. Some of the most accomplished artists worked in fantasy and sci-fi, and there are already AI covers in those areas are simply beautiful.
Books will be fine - whether they're written by people is another thing. AI might not be able to write good books, but it will certainly be able to churn out the kind of books that currently sell in big numbers.
How do you decide if one cover is 'better' than another? What metric do you use?
The one that sells best?
Generally covers and the decision over which to use comes down to contracts. As an author it is always important to make sure your contract with a publisher has a clause in it giving you final say over covers. Publishers are notoriously bad at commissioning/picking covers which often have little to do with the text itself so it is important as an author to have a veto over anything too lurid/leftfield unless that is what you want.
To lighten the mood here’s a picture of our new rescue, Rocko, and the torso of my human alter ego.
Fascinating language creep. You say "rescue" when what I am seeing is a second hand dog. If stuff was happening to it that it really needed "rescuing" from I would be cautious with that breed.
His old owner had one leg and decided a smaller breed was better so gave him up to the council. So we rescued him from Ashford Borough Council. If only we were all so lucky.
Guy has to choose between the dog and his career in the amateur bum-kicking world. I mean, fine, but you bought a second hand dog for a purchase price badged as a "rehoming fee." But I am glad you are happy.
Well that was a lovely, affirming and positive response to my posting a picture of a dog to cheer up the board in what was becoming an acrimonious night on here. Thanks! I’ll do it again sometime.
Sorry.
I will now rescue a beer from the fridge. And rehome it inside me.
No worries. I’ve had my less than glorious moments on here.
GSDs are marvelous. We had a GSD- Border Collie cross years ago. He was a big old boy, but a real gentle giant.
YouTube is full of GSDs fostering kittens. Any intruder interfering with his kittens and the GSD kitten fosterer is content in the knowledge that he could rip the intruder's head off.
I love GSDs. My only problem with them is that when my family had them in the 70s it was at the hieght of the Hip dysplasia issue and the dogs were dying young as a result. So we were rather put off them at the time. My understanding is that Kennel Club rules have clamped down on this as a breeding issue so hopefuly it is something that is no longer a major factor.
No, the breed standard requires a sloping back, and this results in a lot of hip problems still.
Thats a shame. I had hoped it was one of those breeding trends they would have banned by now.
Working GSD have a flat back and a lot more healthy gait, as do Belgian Shepherds and Swiss Shepherds, but look at these two at Crufts best of breed in 2016.
Although I am very much in the camp that AI isn't going to be all jobs in every sector in 2-3 years, not to be even having a discussion about how it will effect education and work is quite crazy. We know productivity is piss poor, we should be looking at what it can do for many aspects of the state (this is where Big Dom was actually onto something).
The GE is quite weird. Labour nor Tories really have any big new ideas, its just rehashing old policies with new names as if the world hasn't changed at all since 1997. Other big issues like knife crime, shop lifting, phone snatching, the most I have heard is some nonsense from Labour about well we will make Apple make it harder to reactivate them (but they already all go to China where this is irrelevant).
I’ve talked with people in the film/TV graphics business about AI. Because it has trouble with context, it is, once again useful as an autocomplete tool for small pieces of the work. Bit like how the old masters had a horde of assistants who filled in backgrounds for them.
Same in my industry - software development. It’s being used as a somewhat improved code completion tool. Once you beyond doing some simple functions it rapidly becomes a tool for generating code that does the wrong thing.
For soft stuff it is interesting - ask it what topics are missing in an essay, for example.
There will probably be an arms race to generate vast piles of documents, in certain jobs - and to read them and condense them on the other end.
I'd imagine in editing/producing, it'll be able to do a lot of the initial work. Chopping up the story, identifying different people, transcribing dialogue, and making connections. It probably won't be able to do the 'human' side of understanding humour, but it's not like we need more TV. If it can be made cheaper then there is likely not to be as much work.
I'm an artist, who works mostly designing book covers, and sadly that's something that AI finds far too easy.
If things worked according to predictions there should by now be virtually no hard copy books because of internet, kindle, smartphones and all that; and therefore already no book covers.
Books (I predict) will do fine. I hope the same can be said for proper covers.
Even eBooks need covers - if anything the predictions were that there would be more books published, which is exactly what happened.
The problem is that AI can produce "proper covers" that are better than the majority of designers. Some of the most accomplished artists worked in fantasy and sci-fi, and there are already AI covers in those areas are simply beautiful.
Books will be fine - whether they're written by people is another thing. AI might not be able to write good books, but it will certainly be able to churn out the kind of books that currently sell in big numbers.
How do you decide if one cover is 'better' than another? What metric do you use?
The one that sells best?
Unless they're selling the alternative covers in a similar environment, then that's not a valid metric. Especially as it's after the supposed choice...
I've watched quite a lot of writers who sell on the kindle marketplace. They do a lot of this kinda a/b testing. No idea if traditional publishers are remotely on the ball about that kind of thing though. I'd assume not outside of very broad geographic/language areas.
If you read my post to the end I am well aware of the strength of a GSD. Those trained as guard dogs and I have met a few can be brutal. GSDs are not naturally aggressive they are essentially big "sheep dogs". Our dog wouldn't let a painter and decorator into the room where my baby child was sleeping, until my wife gave him the nod. He was not trained to do that, it was an innate pack defence instinct. There are other breeds of dogs I wouldn't let anywhere near a child, a Staffie for example.
For me cowgate is the story of the weekend. It seems like evidence that the country is ungovernable. I can't understand why the cow wasn't just shot dead in the first five minutes. It is 500 kilos and running around on the road, it could collide with a car or kill a person by running in to it. If either of these outcomes happened then there would be a different complaint investigation/public inquiry to the one that is now happening. Honestly why are they following a cow around for 5 hours and then there is this half measure of hitting the cow with the car?
I honestly don't understand what their beef is.
The cow was clearly on drugs. Apparently, the steaks had never been higher.
Ah, my coat.
Well, something meant it didn't moove fast enough.
Lots of very rude works: work have scheduled an "away day" for Friday 5th July.
Absolute b'stards.
I've booked the day off. Not that they would but if they tried to make me do something that day I'd say "make me". I work a compressed week so Fridays are 'cheap' days off.
To lighten the mood here’s a picture of our new rescue, Rocko, and the torso of my human alter ego.
Fascinating language creep. You say "rescue" when what I am seeing is a second hand dog. If stuff was happening to it that it really needed "rescuing" from I would be cautious with that breed.
His old owner had one leg and decided a smaller breed was better so gave him up to the council. So we rescued him from Ashford Borough Council. If only we were all so lucky.
Guy has to choose between the dog and his career in the amateur bum-kicking world. I mean, fine, but you bought a second hand dog for a purchase price badged as a "rehoming fee." But I am glad you are happy.
Well that was a lovely, affirming and positive response to my posting a picture of a dog to cheer up the board in what was becoming an acrimonious night on here. Thanks! I’ll do it again sometime.
Sorry.
I will now rescue a beer from the fridge. And rehome it inside me.
No worries. I’ve had my less than glorious moments on here.
GSDs are marvelous. We had a GSD- Border Collie cross years ago. He was a big old boy, but a real gentle giant.
YouTube is full of GSDs fostering kittens. Any intruder interfering with his kittens and the GSD kitten fosterer is content in the knowledge that he could rip the intruder's head off.
I love GSDs. My only problem with them is that when my family had them in the 70s it was at the hieght of the Hip dysplasia issue and the dogs were dying young as a result. So we were rather put off them at the time. My understanding is that Kennel Club rules have clamped down on this as a breeding issue so hopefuly it is something that is no longer a major factor.
No, the breed standard requires a sloping back, and this results in a lot of hip problems still.
Thats a shame. I had hoped it was one of those breeding trends they would have banned by now.
Working GSD have a flat back and a lot more healthy gait, as do Belgian Shepherds and Swiss Shepherds, but look at these two at Crufts best of breed in 2016.
I'm working a lot, as usual, but I can normally fit in reading at least half of the comments and often all of them. At the moment I'm at about 10%, and I've missed many conversations to which I wanted to contribute
Two that have stuck in my mind:
Pizza Express beats the Hut without the faintest shadow of a doubt. Thin pizza is better than thick. Fresh dough is essential either way. The worst abomination on pizza isn't pineapple; it's bbq sauce. That shit should only be burnt on meat by fire, and nowhere near a pizza
The best version on Son Of A Preacher Man is by The Gaylettes. I love both the versions by Dusty and Aretha, but neither is a party song. Reggae rhythms rule
Lots of very rude works: work have scheduled an "away day" for Friday 5th July.
Absolute b'stards.
I've booked the day off. Not that they would but if they tried to make me do something that day I'd say "make me". I work a compressed week so Fridays are 'cheap' days off.
Unfortunately, I'm part of the leadership team so can't pull that one.
No idea how I will (a) stay awake and (b) not look at my phone all day.
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
Richmond is after sun up usually. Breakfasty declaration.
Will Richmond be the only constituency to have produced two party leaders who both led their party to landslide defeats? Though at least it can say it now has produced a PM in Sunak unlike Hague
For me cowgate is the story of the weekend. It seems like evidence that the country is ungovernable. I can't understand why the cow wasn't just shot dead in the first five minutes. It is 500 kilos and running around on the road, it could collide with a car or kill a person by running in to it. If either of these outcomes happened then there would be a different complaint investigation/public inquiry to the one that is now happening. Honestly why are they following a cow around for 5 hours and then there is this half measure of hitting the cow with the car?
Shot?
How difficult in a world with uniquitous mobile phone communication would it have been to find a vet with a tranquiliser dart?
Or an experienced farmer for that matter.
If they pulled that stunt in India they would have been lynched.
To lighten the mood here’s a picture of our new rescue, Rocko, and the torso of my human alter ego.
Fascinating language creep. You say "rescue" when what I am seeing is a second hand dog. If stuff was happening to it that it really needed "rescuing" from I would be cautious with that breed.
His old owner had one leg and decided a smaller breed was better so gave him up to the council. So we rescued him from Ashford Borough Council. If only we were all so lucky.
Guy has to choose between the dog and his career in the amateur bum-kicking world. I mean, fine, but you bought a second hand dog for a purchase price badged as a "rehoming fee." But I am glad you are happy.
Well that was a lovely, affirming and positive response to my posting a picture of a dog to cheer up the board in what was becoming an acrimonious night on here. Thanks! I’ll do it again sometime.
Sorry.
I will now rescue a beer from the fridge. And rehome it inside me.
No worries. I’ve had my less than glorious moments on here.
GSDs are marvelous. We had a GSD- Border Collie cross years ago. He was a big old boy, but a real gentle giant.
YouTube is full of GSDs fostering kittens. Any intruder interfering with his kittens and the GSD kitten fosterer is content in the knowledge that he could rip the intruder's head off.
I love GSDs. My only problem with them is that when my family had them in the 70s it was at the hieght of the Hip dysplasia issue and the dogs were dying young as a result. So we were rather put off them at the time. My understanding is that Kennel Club rules have clamped down on this as a breeding issue so hopefuly it is something that is no longer a major factor.
No, the breed standard requires a sloping back, and this results in a lot of hip problems still.
Thats a shame. I had hoped it was one of those breeding trends they would have banned by now.
Working GSD have a flat back and a lot more healthy gait, as do Belgian Shepherds and Swiss Shepherds, but look at these two at Crufts best of breed in 2016.
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
No idea but would have thought Starmer (London, small urban seat) will be maybe 2-3 hours before Sunak's (N Yorks, large rural)?
Obv the exit poll will be v important, but I would have thought the first "meltdown bellwether" on the night is Broxbourne? Usually in 1st 10 or so seats to declare, usually in by 12-1 I think? If that goes red I feel we're probably looking at a catastrophic result for Con - gut feel is they will hold by 2-3K?
If we lose Broxbourne we are in taxi for the parliamentary party territory!
I commented on this a few days ago. It is highly, highly unlikely that Broxbourne will fall, even accounting for how dreadfully the Conservatives are expected to perform. Very large majority, local council overwhelmingly Tory even after recent elections (and has been for the entire 50 years since it was formed,) Hertfordshire but adjacent to South Essex and much of that ilk. If it finishes counting early as per 2019 it should be the first Con seat of the night, so at least the Tories won't be on zero for long, even if they also fail to get to 100.
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
No idea but would have thought Starmer (London, small urban seat) will be maybe 2-3 hours before Sunak's (N Yorks, large rural)?
Obv the exit poll will be v important, but I would have thought the first "meltdown bellwether" on the night is Broxbourne? Usually in 1st 10 or so seats to declare, usually in by 12-1 I think? If that goes red I feel we're probably looking at a catastrophic result for Con - gut feel is they will hold by 2-3K?
If we lose Broxbourne we are in taxi for the parliamentary party territory!
I commented on this a few days ago. It is highly, highly unlikely that Broxbourne will fall, even accounting for how dreadfully the Conservatives are expected to perform. Very large majority, local council overwhelmingly Tory even after recent elections (and has been for the entire 50 years since it was formed,) Hertfordshire but adjacent to South Essex and much of that ilk. If it finishes counting early as per 2019 it should be the first Con seat of the night, so at least the Tories won't be on zero for long, even if they also fail to get to 100.
There's something strange about Broxbourne.
It's the only place known to me where the Council has defined pavement parking as ASB.
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
I'll definitely be 'WFH' on the Friday.
I booked it off as soon as it was called - have done all the UK elec nites since 1983 and all US since 1984.
To lighten the mood here’s a picture of our new rescue, Rocko, and the torso of my human alter ego.
Fascinating language creep. You say "rescue" when what I am seeing is a second hand dog. If stuff was happening to it that it really needed "rescuing" from I would be cautious with that breed.
His old owner had one leg and decided a smaller breed was better so gave him up to the council. So we rescued him from Ashford Borough Council. If only we were all so lucky.
Guy has to choose between the dog and his career in the amateur bum-kicking world. I mean, fine, but you bought a second hand dog for a purchase price badged as a "rehoming fee." But I am glad you are happy.
Well that was a lovely, affirming and positive response to my posting a picture of a dog to cheer up the board in what was becoming an acrimonious night on here. Thanks! I’ll do it again sometime.
Sorry.
I will now rescue a beer from the fridge. And rehome it inside me.
No worries. I’ve had my less than glorious moments on here.
GSDs are marvelous. We had a GSD- Border Collie cross years ago. He was a big old boy, but a real gentle giant.
YouTube is full of GSDs fostering kittens. Any intruder interfering with his kittens and the GSD kitten fosterer is content in the knowledge that he could rip the intruder's head off.
I love GSDs. My only problem with them is that when my family had them in the 70s it was at the hieght of the Hip dysplasia issue and the dogs were dying young as a result. So we were rather put off them at the time. My understanding is that Kennel Club rules have clamped down on this as a breeding issue so hopefuly it is something that is no longer a major factor.
No, the breed standard requires a sloping back, and this results in a lot of hip problems still.
Thats a shame. I had hoped it was one of those breeding trends they would have banned by now.
Working GSD have a flat back and a lot more healthy gait, as do Belgian Shepherds and Swiss Shepherds, but look at these two at Crufts best of breed in 2016.
Lots of very rude works: work have scheduled an "away day" for Friday 5th July.
Absolute b'stards.
I've booked the day off. Not that they would but if they tried to make me do something that day I'd say "make me". I work a compressed week so Fridays are 'cheap' days off.
Unfortunately, I'm part of the leadership team so can't pull that one.
No idea how I will (a) stay awake and (b) not look at my phone all day.
I feel your pain. I'm on a residential course Thursday and Friday. On one hand, work travel is nice, but blooming RIshi stupid election date...
On the other hand, there's usually a news hiatus Friday daytime, isn't there? Old PM goes to the Palace, new PM goes to the Palace, then it's a couple of hours until the new government emerges.
Back to politics and betting for a moment. Those who recall my epic "London Falling" thread from a couple of weeks back my recall I offered these as attractive bets for the election:
Harrow East – CON 9/4 Ruislip, Northwood & Pinner – CON 4/5 Bromley & Biggin Hill – CON 11/8 Croydon East – CON 10/1 Croydon South – CON 2/1 Romford – CON 6/4
In the light of some comments expressing the view the Conservatives may not do too badly in Outer London compared with other areas, I thought I'd see what I was standing in against the latest Survation MRP.
Harrow East - Lab 41.4%, Con 38.6% - Conservatives out to 5/2 but looks a decent bet. Ruislip, Northwood & Pinner - Lab 34.6%, Con 34.2% - Conservatives still 4/5, Labour 10/11 so the bookies taking no chances. Bromley & Biggin Hill Lab 36.8%., Con 28.8% - Conservatives still 11/8 but I may be on the wrong side of the bet. Croydon East Lab 46.6%, Con 26.2% - Conservatives still 10/1. The humble pie is in the oven and cooking slowly but I will be astonished if Labour win this by 20 points. Croydon South Lab 46.7%, Con 31.4% - Conservatives now 5/2. Rather like Harrow East, I don't believe the MRP but as I've said on here more than once just before you don't believe or can conceive of something happening doesn't mean it can't happen. Romford Lab 36.3%, Con 35% - Conservatives 6/4 and I'm still happy with the bet.
I also offered Sutton & Cheam as an LD gain at 11/10. The Survation MRP has the LDs at 31.1% and the Conservatives at 25.7%. The LDs are now 10/11 with the Conservatives at 11/10 so I might just be on the right side of that one.
Closer to home (well, my home) the MRP for East Ham has Labour down to 65% and the Conservatives at 10.6% with a real scrap on for third between the Greens, Reform and the Newham Indpendents.
I have Labour friends in Croydon East - they are quietly confident though taking no chances.
The only one in Croydon that could be interesting is Croydon South.
Unless New Addington, Forestdale & Monks Orchared have suddenly become uberFaragist, East should be a case of Labour weighing the vote.
Both Croydon East and South are interesting.
Starting with East, it includes areas of Croydon which swung to the Conservatives in the 2022 locals. New Addington, once a Labour heartland council estate and the home of former Council leader Valerie Shawcross, elected Conservatives last time. Addiscombe, Shirley and Selsdon are strong Conservative areas so I just think 10/1 the Conservatives is ridiculous.
South Croydon was a Conservative stronghold - it includes Sanderstead, Riddlesdown, Coulsdon and Purley which (apart from a single LD in the 1990s) have always returned Conservative Councillors. I know I've said just because you believe something can't happen doesn't mean it can't but if the good folk of Purley and Sanderstead are abandoning the Conservatives it's a desperate prospect for the blues.
If you read my post to the end I am well aware of the strength of a GSD. Those trained as guard dogs and I have met a few can be brutal. GSDs are not naturally aggressive they are essentially big "sheep dogs". Our dog wouldn't let a painter and decorator into the room where my baby child was sleeping, until my wife gave him the nod. He was not trained to do that, it was an innate pack defence instinct. There are other breeds of dogs I wouldn't let anywhere near a child, a Staffie for example.
Indeed, I think police struggle to find GSD that are aggressive enough now. Like most pastoral breeds very intelligent and needing good training. We had one as a child and he was a lovely dog, and very protective when people came to the door.
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
No idea but would have thought Starmer (London, small urban seat) will be maybe 2-3 hours before Sunak's (N Yorks, large rural)?
Obv the exit poll will be v important, but I would have thought the first "meltdown bellwether" on the night is Broxbourne? Usually in 1st 10 or so seats to declare, usually in by 12-1 I think? If that goes red I feel we're probably looking at a catastrophic result for Con - gut feel is they will hold by 2-3K?
If we lose Broxbourne we are in taxi for the parliamentary party territory!
I commented on this a few days ago. It is highly, highly unlikely that Broxbourne will fall, even accounting for how dreadfully the Conservatives are expected to perform. Very large majority, local council overwhelmingly Tory even after recent elections (and has been for the entire 50 years since it was formed,) Hertfordshire but adjacent to South Essex and much of that ilk. If it finishes counting early as per 2019 it should be the first Con seat of the night, so at least the Tories won't be on zero for long, even if they also fail to get to 100.
Broxbourne will likely see Reform eat heavily into the Tory vote. It is much more of a pro Boris than pro Rishi seat.
Yougov MRP has the Tories holding Broxbourne by just 1% over Labour but still 140 Tory MPs being elected overall
Well done to the BBC outside broadcast team for managing to get the most spanking studio in Berlin. Overlooking the Brandenburg Gate right in the centre. When they were inside I thought maybe it’s green screen but they have now moved to their roof terrace studio! God knows how they bagsed that for the tournament.
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
The Press Association normally do a list- I don't think they've published it yet.
The expected times in 2019 were: Richmond 4 am Holborn & St Pancras 5 am (dafuq? Central London? I blame incompetent lefty councils)
Ouch. Starmer better get a kip in at 10-2ish.
Should go to bed early and get a good night's sleep if he's going to be waiting that long. The election shouldn't be close and, more to the point, watching it all happen wouldn't make any difference to the outcome anyway.
But I expect the poor so and so will be expected to sit up regardless.
Lots of very rude works: work have scheduled an "away day" for Friday 5th July.
Absolute b'stards.
I've booked the day off. Not that they would but if they tried to make me do something that day I'd say "make me". I work a compressed week so Fridays are 'cheap' days off.
Unfortunately, I'm part of the leadership team so can't pull that one.
No idea how I will (a) stay awake and (b) not look at my phone all day.
I feel your pain. I'm on a residential course Thursday and Friday. On one hand, work travel is nice, but blooming RIshi stupid election date...
On the other hand, there's usually a news hiatus Friday daytime, isn't there? Old PM goes to the Palace, new PM goes to the Palace, then it's a couple of hours until the new government emerges.
I might book a hotel room next door in London. But the WiFi had better be hot shit.
Then I can go till about 4am, take 4 hours, and then roll up just before 9am.
Hopefully I won't then miss out on too much betting. I may have a few toilet/"client call" breaks during the day.
I can then slink off about 4pm in the afternoon, on grounds of "family".
Anecdote time - spent the weekend in Derbyshire with Mrs Stodge. The place we visit is in the Amber Valley constituency.
The Conservative, Nigel Mills, won with a majority of nearly 17,000 in 2019 and Labour needs an 18.5% swing to oust him. Survation has Labour leading 38-30 with Reform on 19 which would be a swing of 22.5% from the last election which is close to the national number.
Despite that, no leaflets, no posters, no stakeboards in the area I was in.
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
No idea but would have thought Starmer (London, small urban seat) will be maybe 2-3 hours before Sunak's (N Yorks, large rural)?
Obv the exit poll will be v important, but I would have thought the first "meltdown bellwether" on the night is Broxbourne? Usually in 1st 10 or so seats to declare, usually in by 12-1 I think? If that goes red I feel we're probably looking at a catastrophic result for Con - gut feel is they will hold by 2-3K?
If we lose Broxbourne we are in taxi for the parliamentary party territory!
I commented on this a few days ago. It is highly, highly unlikely that Broxbourne will fall, even accounting for how dreadfully the Conservatives are expected to perform. Very large majority, local council overwhelmingly Tory even after recent elections (and has been for the entire 50 years since it was formed,) Hertfordshire but adjacent to South Essex and much of that ilk. If it finishes counting early as per 2019 it should be the first Con seat of the night, so at least the Tories won't be on zero for long, even if they also fail to get to 100.
Broxbourne will likely see Reform eat heavily into the Tory vote. It is much more of a Boris than Rishi seat.
Yougov MRP has the Tories holding Broxbourne by just 1% but still 140 Tory MPs being elected overall
The district had a very minor flirtation with the BNP twenty years ago, but really it oughtn't to be in doubt. I don't take the constituency results predicted at the outer edge of these MRP projections at all seriously. The modelling breaks down when outrageous swings are input, and different ones can and do produce very variable results.
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
Richmond is after sun up usually. Breakfasty declaration.
Will Richmond be the only constituency to have produced two party leaders who both led their party to landslide defeats? Though at least it can say it now has produced a PM in Sunak unlike Hague
It's comparatively unusual for a seat to have two party leaders represent it. Even Cambridge University only boasted of one.
If you were to stretch your definition to breaking point then Tain Boroughs (1784) and one of its successor seats in Caithness (1945) might count.
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
The Press Association normally do a list- I don't think they've published it yet.
The expected times in 2019 were: Richmond 4 am Holborn & St Pancras 5 am (dafuq? Central London? I blame incompetent lefty councils)
Ouch. Starmer better get a kip in at 10-2ish.
Should go to bed early and get a good night's sleep if he's going to be waiting that long. The election shouldn't be close and, more to the point, watching it all happen wouldn't make any difference to the outcome anyway.
But I expect the poor so and so will be expected to sit up regardless.
He'll be out and voting during the day, will have time to get some needed rest during the day. He won't be making an appearance until either he's PM or until his declaration both of which will be known in advance so will get a warning.
I'm working a lot, as usual, but I can normally fit in reading at least half of the comments and often all of them. At the moment I'm at about 10%, and I've missed many conversations to which I wanted to contribute
Two that have stuck in my mind:
Pizza Express beats the Hut without the faintest shadow of a doubt. Thin pizza is better than thick. Fresh dough is essential either way. The worst abomination on pizza isn't pineapple; it's bbq sauce. That shit should only be burnt on meat by fire, and nowhere near a pizza
The best version on Son Of A Preacher Man is by The Gaylettes. I love both the versions by Dusty and Aretha, but neither is a party song. Reggae rhythms rule
One other discussion I noted recently was bjo v Heathener on the raw numbers from whatever poll it was
As soon as bjo mentioned the 'undecided' category I knew what he was talking about
"Undecided 171" in the table was so obviously not seats to anyone who has ever looked at polling data beyond the headline numbers
Is our resident guide to the nation's pulse really quite so unfamiliar with polling data as she is with QT and TTMB?
Nah that wasn’t the point I was making. He also posted the seat numbers from the undecideds - an extrapolation that was entirely spurious. He now denies this but it’s there if you care to look back.
And translating your acronyms (which are getting out of hand on here!) very few normal people watch Question Time, and no-one I know under the age of 50, or certainly 40, has watched To The Manor Born.
But thank you for being so polite and considerate. About par for the course on this forum today which has been, at times, appallingly abusive to people.
p.s. and this lady with her finger on the nation’s pulse was the first on here to tell you, in no uncertain terms, that we were heading for a Labour landslide. If you had only listened you could have made a packet. You’re welcome xx
Harry Cole is utterly obsessed with Biden apparently being doddery.
I don't think there's any 'apparently' about it.
What does puzzle me is that there's far more focus on Biden looking and being doddery than there is on Trump, who has lost vast amounts of weight, had his hair change colour and can't even remember the name of his own doctor.
They're both too old, but one of them is so far past it it's actually embarrassing.
I'm working a lot, as usual, but I can normally fit in reading at least half of the comments and often all of them. At the moment I'm at about 10%, and I've missed many conversations to which I wanted to contribute
Two that have stuck in my mind:
Pizza Express beats the Hut without the faintest shadow of a doubt. Thin pizza is better than thick. Fresh dough is essential either way. The worst abomination on pizza isn't pineapple; it's bbq sauce. That shit should only be burnt on meat by fire, and nowhere near a pizza
The best version on Son Of A Preacher Man is by The Gaylettes. I love both the versions by Dusty and Aretha, but neither is a party song. Reggae rhythms rule
One other discussion I noted recently was bjo v Heathener on the raw numbers from whatever poll it was
As soon as bjo mentioned the 'undecided' category I knew what he was talking about
"Undecided 171" in the table was so obviously not seats to anyone who has ever looked at polling data beyond the headline numbers
Is our resident guide to the nation's pulse really quite so unfamiliar with polling data as she is with QT and TTMB?
Nah that wasn’t the point I was making. He also posted the seat numbers from the undecideds - an extrapolation that was entirely spurious. He now denies this but it’s there if you care to look back.
But thank you for being so polite and considerate. About par for the course on this forum today which has been, at times, appallingly abusive to people.
No he didn’t. One day you will understand this point, but it’s clearly not today.
There are strong rumours in party circles that the next conference - likely the first with Labour in government - will be a moment of maximum strength to deliver some even more dramatic and controversial rule changes. A key ambition of some is to give MPs the sole power to choose the next Labour leader if the change takes place while the party is in government. By way of argument they point to the chaos unleashed by Conservative members time and again when they were able to directly choose the next prime minister.
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
No idea but would have thought Starmer (London, small urban seat) will be maybe 2-3 hours before Sunak's (N Yorks, large rural)?
Obv the exit poll will be v important, but I would have thought the first "meltdown bellwether" on the night is Broxbourne? Usually in 1st 10 or so seats to declare, usually in by 12-1 I think? If that goes red I feel we're probably looking at a catastrophic result for Con - gut feel is they will hold by 2-3K?
If we lose Broxbourne we are in taxi for the parliamentary party territory!
I commented on this a few days ago. It is highly, highly unlikely that Broxbourne will fall, even accounting for how dreadfully the Conservatives are expected to perform. Very large majority, local council overwhelmingly Tory even after recent elections (and has been for the entire 50 years since it was formed,) Hertfordshire but adjacent to South Essex and much of that ilk. If it finishes counting early as per 2019 it should be the first Con seat of the night, so at least the Tories won't be on zero for long, even if they also fail to get to 100.
Broxbourne will likely see Reform eat heavily into the Tory vote. It is much more of a pro Boris than pro Rishi seat.
Yougov MRP has the Tories holding Broxbourne by just 1% over Labour but still 140 Tory MPs being elected overall
Harry Cole is utterly obsessed with Biden apparently being doddery.
I don't think there's any 'apparently' about it.
What does puzzle me is that there's far more focus on Biden looking and being doddery than there is on Trump, who has lost vast amounts of weight, had his hair change colour and can't even remember the name of his own doctor.
They're both too old, but one of them is so far past it it's actually embarrassing.
The implication is that Biden = old = not fit for office. Personally I think he's old but I can't see anything wrong with how he's run the country or acted. He's old and doddery because most people are old and doddery.
Anecdote time - spent the weekend in Derbyshire with Mrs Stodge. The place we visit is in the Amber Valley constituency.
The Conservative, Nigel Mills, won with a majority of nearly 17,000 in 2019 and Labour needs an 18.5% swing to oust him. Survation has Labour leading 38-30 with Reform on 19 which would be a swing of 22.5% from the last election which is close to the national number.
Despite that, no leaflets, no posters, no stakeboards in the area I was in.
Yes, something isn't quite right.
There were more Labour posters up around here in GE2017 than there are now.
Anecdote time - spent the weekend in Derbyshire with Mrs Stodge. The place we visit is in the Amber Valley constituency.
The Conservative, Nigel Mills, won with a majority of nearly 17,000 in 2019 and Labour needs an 18.5% swing to oust him. Survation has Labour leading 38-30 with Reform on 19 which would be a swing of 22.5% from the last election which is close to the national number.
Despite that, no leaflets, no posters, no stakeboards in the area I was in.
I think that the number of stakeboards is going to be lower this time around generally because it was a snap election. most elections we know it's coming, and so do the parties, and have time to prepare. this time there's not been the time.
I'm working a lot, as usual, but I can normally fit in reading at least half of the comments and often all of them. At the moment I'm at about 10%, and I've missed many conversations to which I wanted to contribute
Two that have stuck in my mind:
Pizza Express beats the Hut without the faintest shadow of a doubt. Thin pizza is better than thick. Fresh dough is essential either way. The worst abomination on pizza isn't pineapple; it's bbq sauce. That shit should only be burnt on meat by fire, and nowhere near a pizza
The best version on Son Of A Preacher Man is by The Gaylettes. I love both the versions by Dusty and Aretha, but neither is a party song. Reggae rhythms rule
One other discussion I noted recently was bjo v Heathener on the raw numbers from whatever poll it was
As soon as bjo mentioned the 'undecided' category I knew what he was talking about
"Undecided 171" in the table was so obviously not seats to anyone who has ever looked at polling data beyond the headline numbers
Is our resident guide to the nation's pulse really quite so unfamiliar with polling data as she is with QT and TTMB?
Nah that wasn’t the point I was making. He also posted the seat numbers from the undecideds - an extrapolation that was entirely spurious. He now denies this but it’s there if you care to look back.
But thank you for being so polite and considerate. About par for the course on this forum today which has been, at times, appallingly abusive to people.
He really didn't. He posted the overall splits, and then the splits for Tory 2019 voters, in the same format.
You completely misunderstood it. Everyone else can see it. And you're somehow completely incapable of admitting that you made a mistake.
We've all misinterpreted things at first glance before. There's no shame in it. Not if you are able and willing to hold you hand up to it.
Harry Cole is utterly obsessed with Biden apparently being doddery.
I don't think there's any 'apparently' about it.
What does puzzle me is that there's far more focus on Biden looking and being doddery than there is on Trump, who has lost vast amounts of weight, had his hair change colour and can't even remember the name of his own doctor.
They're both too old, but one of them is so far past it it's actually embarrassing.
Suits me, since I can recycle my winnings (I hope) on 5th July into backing Biden for the Nom and leverage that inside 6 weeks.
No-one will be laying Michelle Obama harder over the Summer than me.
There are strong rumours in party circles that the next conference - likely the first with Labour in government - will be a moment of maximum strength to deliver some even more dramatic and controversial rule changes. A key ambition of some is to give MPs the sole power to choose the next Labour leader if the change takes place while the party is in government. By way of argument they point to the chaos unleashed by Conservative members time and again when they were able to directly choose the next prime minister.
Although I am very much in the camp that AI isn't going to be all jobs in every sector in 2-3 years, not to be even having a discussion about how it will effect education and work is quite crazy. We know productivity is piss poor, we should be looking at what it can do for many aspects of the state (this is where Big Dom was actually onto something).
The GE is quite weird. Labour nor Tories really have any big new ideas, its just rehashing old policies with new names as if the world hasn't changed at all since 1997. Other big issues like knife crime, shop lifting, phone snatching, the most I have heard is some nonsense from Labour about well we will make Apple make it harder to reactivate them (but they already all go to China where this is irrelevant).
I’ve talked with people in the film/TV graphics business about AI. Because it has trouble with context, it is, once again useful as an autocomplete tool for small pieces of the work. Bit like how the old masters had a horde of assistants who filled in backgrounds for them.
Same in my industry - software development. It’s being used as a somewhat improved code completion tool. Once you beyond doing some simple functions it rapidly becomes a tool for generating code that does the wrong thing.
For soft stuff it is interesting - ask it what topics are missing in an essay, for example.
There will probably be an arms race to generate vast piles of documents, in certain jobs - and to read them and condense them on the other end.
I’m frankly amazed that people in industry X, when asked about the future of people in industry X, don’t all say “yeah we’re all doomed, it’s over, my family will be starving by Christmas”
As opposed to “hmmm this new welding thing could be interesting for building our ships. It has advantages and disadvantages, but it might well be cheaper for some work. If we do it right.”
Although I am very much in the camp that AI isn't going to be all jobs in every sector in 2-3 years, not to be even having a discussion about how it will effect education and work is quite crazy. We know productivity is piss poor, we should be looking at what it can do for many aspects of the state (this is where Big Dom was actually onto something).
The GE is quite weird. Labour nor Tories really have any big new ideas, its just rehashing old policies with new names as if the world hasn't changed at all since 1997. Other big issues like knife crime, shop lifting, phone snatching, the most I have heard is some nonsense from Labour about well we will make Apple make it harder to reactivate them (but they already all go to China where this is irrelevant).
I’ve talked with people in the film/TV graphics business about AI. Because it has trouble with context, it is, once again useful as an autocomplete tool for small pieces of the work. Bit like how the old masters had a horde of assistants who filled in backgrounds for them.
Same in my industry - software development. It’s being used as a somewhat improved code completion tool. Once you beyond doing some simple functions it rapidly becomes a tool for generating code that does the wrong thing.
For soft stuff it is interesting - ask it what topics are missing in an essay, for example.
There will probably be an arms race to generate vast piles of documents, in certain jobs - and to read them and condense them on the other end.
I'd imagine in editing/producing, it'll be able to do a lot of the initial work. Chopping up the story, identifying different people, transcribing dialogue, and making connections. It probably won't be able to do the 'human' side of understanding humour, but it's not like we need more TV. If it can be made cheaper then there is likely not to be as much work.
I'm an artist, who works mostly designing book covers, and sadly that's something that AI finds far too easy.
If things worked according to predictions there should by now be virtually no hard copy books because of internet, kindle, smartphones and all that; and therefore already no book covers.
Books (I predict) will do fine. I hope the same can be said for proper covers.
Even eBooks need covers - if anything the predictions were that there would be more books published, which is exactly what happened.
The problem is that AI can produce "proper covers" that are better than the majority of designers. Some of the most accomplished artists worked in fantasy and sci-fi, and there are already AI covers in those areas are simply beautiful.
Books will be fine - whether they're written by people is another thing. AI might not be able to write good books, but it will certainly be able to churn out the kind of books that currently sell in big numbers.
How do you decide if one cover is 'better' than another? What metric do you use?
There are a huge range of metrics, and a huge range of styles. I love covers with clever ideas, often very simple designs.
Having looked at many tens of thousands of covers, I don't think there's any real magic with 99.9% of covers that would set the human apart. While AI is clearly standing on the shoulders of giants, so are pretty much all artists.
And, while there might be the odd book that sells based on a known name (e.g. when author's back catalogues are relaunched with a named artist), people are buying the book for the author, and won't care who or what created the front.
If you read my post to the end I am well aware of the strength of a GSD. Those trained as guard dogs and I have met a few can be brutal. GSDs are not naturally aggressive they are essentially big "sheep dogs". Our dog wouldn't let a painter and decorator into the room where my baby child was sleeping, until my wife gave him the nod. He was not trained to do that, it was an innate pack defence instinct. There are other breeds of dogs I wouldn't let anywhere near a child, a Staffie for example.
This is a complete misunderstanding. Sheep dog in the UK means something like a border collie whose job is to herd sheep. Pretty much anywhere else including Germany and Alsatia it means a dog whose job is to defend sheep from wolves and bears and stuff, and it doesn't take much of a stretch for stuff to include humans. Why do you think they are easily trained as guard dogs?
Stats about death don't lie. German shepherds kill people. The "small minority' argument isn't much consolation for the 7 year old linked to above who was mauled to death. Owning these things is about like being a drunk driver: you will probably get away with it without anyone dying. I'm fine with that (not really) but I can do without the implied claim that it puts you on a par with St Francis of Assisi
Harry Cole is utterly obsessed with Biden apparently being doddery.
I don't think there's any 'apparently' about it.
What does puzzle me is that there's far more focus on Biden looking and being doddery than there is on Trump, who has lost vast amounts of weight, had his hair change colour and can't even remember the name of his own doctor.
They're both too old, but one of them is so far past it it's actually embarrassing.
Suits me, since I can recycle my winnings (I hope) on 5th July into backing Biden for the Nom and leverage that inside 6 weeks.
No-one will be laying Michelle Obama harder over the Summer than me.
I’m less inclined to lay her now that I used to be.
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
Richmond is after sun up usually. Breakfasty declaration.
Will Richmond be the only constituency to have produced two party leaders who both led their party to landslide defeats? Though at least it can say it now has produced a PM in Sunak unlike Hague
I struggle to think of many constituencies which have had two party leaders. I think Caernarfon had David Lloyd George and Dafydd Wigley (!) both of whom lost elections, but in fairness Wigley was never PM designated.
You'd know, but didn't Churchill and IDS constituency boundaries overlap? The former clearly lost in a landslide and the latter was spared that by the men in grey suits. That's as close as I can think.
Fathers day lunch with Fox jr and partner, both voting Labour in Leicester South. Their terraced street in hipster Clarendon Park had a number of Labour window posters and a few for Greens.
A friend from Church had been canvassing for Labour in Harbrough, Odaby and Wigston, sent there from the City, and clearly a Lab target.
First electoral literature at my house. Hand delivered for LD Focus Team, complete with dubious bar chart based on Local results rather than GE or polls.
A bit like @Big_G_NorthWales I have been wavering, but increasingly certain for LD as I like their manifesto and campaign, finding the Greens a bit disappointing in debates etc. Pretty unsurprising that I return really. I voted Green in 2019.
Anecdote time - spent the weekend in Derbyshire with Mrs Stodge. The place we visit is in the Amber Valley constituency.
The Conservative, Nigel Mills, won with a majority of nearly 17,000 in 2019 and Labour needs an 18.5% swing to oust him. Survation has Labour leading 38-30 with Reform on 19 which would be a swing of 22.5% from the last election which is close to the national number.
Despite that, no leaflets, no posters, no stakeboards in the area I was in.
The parties can't be strong everywhere in campaign terms, and it is possible that both sides have deprioritised the potential Lab to Con gains at the more extreme end of expectations. Consider: if the Tories are in any real danger of losing seats this safe then they're probably heading for a meltdown regardless of what they do (and besides which, what campaigning machinery they have was probably set up for the vaunted 80/20 strategy, with other MPs left to fend for themselves.) Labour has something like 300 gains to go for and very safe Tory seats will be at the bottom end of the list for distribution of resources.
There wasn't much going on in my locality (Con Maj of 18K over Labour) when I left to go on holiday a week ago, either. Up here in North Norfolk, meanwhile, quite a lot of posters about and Tory candidate seen canvassing earlier in the week. Liberal Democrats looking to recapture, Tory incumbent apparently making a determined defence, and noticeable amounts of Labour and Reform material around as well.
Fathers day lunch with Fox jr and partner, both voting Labour in Leicester South. Their terraced street in hipster Clarendon Park had a number of Labour window posters and a few for Greens.
A friend from Church had been canvassing for Labour in Harbrough, Odaby and Wigston, sent there from the City, and clearly a Lab target.
First electoral literature at my house. Hand delivered for LD Focus Team, complete with dubious bar chart based on Local results rather than GE or polls.
A bit like @Big_G_NorthWales I have been wavering, but increasingly certain for LD as I like their manifesto and campaign, finding the Greens a bit disappointing in debates etc. Pretty unsurprising that I return really. I voted Green in 2019.
Although I am very much in the camp that AI isn't going to be all jobs in every sector in 2-3 years, not to be even having a discussion about how it will effect education and work is quite crazy. We know productivity is piss poor, we should be looking at what it can do for many aspects of the state (this is where Big Dom was actually onto something).
The GE is quite weird. Labour nor Tories really have any big new ideas, its just rehashing old policies with new names as if the world hasn't changed at all since 1997. Other big issues like knife crime, shop lifting, phone snatching, the most I have heard is some nonsense from Labour about well we will make Apple make it harder to reactivate them (but they already all go to China where this is irrelevant).
I’ve talked with people in the film/TV graphics business about AI. Because it has trouble with context, it is, once again useful as an autocomplete tool for small pieces of the work. Bit like how the old masters had a horde of assistants who filled in backgrounds for them.
Same in my industry - software development. It’s being used as a somewhat improved code completion tool. Once you beyond doing some simple functions it rapidly becomes a tool for generating code that does the wrong thing.
For soft stuff it is interesting - ask it what topics are missing in an essay, for example.
There will probably be an arms race to generate vast piles of documents, in certain jobs - and to read them and condense them on the other end.
I’m frankly amazed that people in industry X, when asked about the future of people in industry X, don’t all say “yeah we’re all doomed, it’s over, my family will be starving by Christmas”
As opposed to “hmmm this new welding thing could be interesting for building our ships. It has advantages and disadvantages, but it might well be cheaper for some work. If we do it right.”
Bit shit if you were on a Liberty Ship in the Arctic, though.
I was snooping around the Lib Dem candidate's garden, as one does (to leave a parcel in a safe place), and noticed a Spurs branded football
I've since confirmed that they're a Spurs supporting family and have now passed this onto to Spurs supporting Dad who will only let this influence him if tactical vote websites don't tell him to vote Labour
He was a lifelong Tory, but now wants to vote Kruger out
Harry Cole is utterly obsessed with Biden apparently being doddery.
I don't think there's any 'apparently' about it.
What does puzzle me is that there's far more focus on Biden looking and being doddery than there is on Trump, who has lost vast amounts of weight, had his hair change colour and can't even remember the name of his own doctor.
They're both too old, but one of them is so far past it it's actually embarrassing.
The Republican party were prepared to overlook the unpleasantness of January 2021. If they can overlook that, they can overlook anything.
That doesn't mean that Trump won't win, but we should never forget what Trump apologists are apologising for.
Harry Cole is utterly obsessed with Biden apparently being doddery.
I don't think there's any 'apparently' about it.
What does puzzle me is that there's far more focus on Biden looking and being doddery than there is on Trump, who has lost vast amounts of weight, had his hair change colour and can't even remember the name of his own doctor.
They're both too old, but one of them is so far past it it's actually embarrassing.
Suits me, since I can recycle my winnings (I hope) on 5th July into backing Biden for the Nom and leverage that inside 6 weeks.
No-one will be laying Michelle Obama harder over the Summer than me.
I’m less inclined to lay her now that I used to be.
If he drops dead, she’s not impossible.
Sigh. The Democratic Party is a coalition of interests. To pick a leader, there has to be a certain amount of consensus.
Michelle Obama has not built the political alliances required to get the top job. Sure, in West Wing, everyone might turn round and elect her. But reality?
This is aside from the point that she has never engaged in elective politics - outside helping her husband campaign.
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
Richmond is after sun up usually. Breakfasty declaration.
Will Richmond be the only constituency to have produced two party leaders who both led their party to landslide defeats? Though at least it can say it now has produced a PM in Sunak unlike Hague
I struggle to think of many constituencies which have had two party leaders. I think Caernarfon had David Lloyd George and Dafydd Wigley (!) both of whom lost elections, but in fairness Wigley was never PM designated.
You'd know, but didn't Churchill and IDS constituency boundaries overlap? The former clearly lost in a landslide and the latter was spared that by the men in grey suits. That's as close as I can think.
If we're going down that route, East/North East Fife would be in play - Asquith in 1918 and Campbell in 2007.
Well done to the BBC outside broadcast team for managing to get the most spanking studio in Berlin. Overlooking the Brandenburg Gate right in the centre. When they were inside I thought maybe it’s green screen but they have now moved to their roof terrace studio! God knows how they bagsed that for the tournament.
At home I usually prefer wine (or whisky) but football always feels like I should have beer. I’m on the fence now, but either way you have made me thirsty!
Agree with beers for sport accompaniment. I am getting slightly concerned I’m going to run out of beers and end up on wine by the time of the England game starting. I accidentally started too early. Bloody 8pm kick offs.
Nip to the corner shop now before kick off, or you’ll be on the weird green liquor you once bought on holiday by half time.
The bigger question is drinks for election night. Some decent wine first, then a bottle of English sparkling from a Lib Dem target constituency ready and chilled but only opened if we beat 30 seats. Otherwise it’s gin.
I start with a decent bottle of red, and get the whisky out for the Scottish seats. Cheese and charcuterie of course.
Water, orange juice and Coke for me to have any chance of doing an all-nighter and still be going for the new PM going to the Palace. Or might attempt a 6-9am kip maybe.
Actually does anyone know when the Starmer and Sunak declarations come? Helps to build the shape of the night.
Richmond is after sun up usually. Breakfasty declaration.
Will Richmond be the only constituency to have produced two party leaders who both led their party to landslide defeats? Though at least it can say it now has produced a PM in Sunak unlike Hague
I struggle to think of many constituencies which have had two party leaders. I think Caernarfon had David Lloyd George and Dafydd Wigley (!) both of whom lost elections, but in fairness Wigley was never PM designated.
You'd know, but didn't Churchill and IDS constituency boundaries overlap? The former clearly lost in a landslide and the latter was spared that by the men in grey suits. That's as close as I can think.
Not the same constituency though.
Churchill's old Epping constituency included Harlow for example
We're beginning to lose our way a bit. Just like v Croatia 2018 and Italy 2021.
I think we need to swap Foden for Gordon to stretch the left side more, we are too congested in the middle as he keeps coming in. Also Kane needs to stop coming back and needs to sit on the central defenders to stop them pushing up but be there for a breakaway by walker and Saka or a long ball by TAA.
Comments
These are things for converting tinned horsemeat into dogshit which the owners can put in little plastic bags which they can hang up on trees when nobody is looking. We all have our hobbies, obviously, but can we drop the vibe that buying or rather rescuing one is equivalent to sacrificing ones life to stop an orphanage burning down?
Obv the exit poll will be v important, but I would have thought the first "meltdown bellwether" on the night is Broxbourne? Usually in 1st 10 or so seats to declare, usually in by 12-1 I think? If that goes red I feel we're probably looking at a catastrophic result for Con - gut feel is they will hold by 2-3K?
STFU and watch the bladder kicking.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-69037658
Awwww
https://news.sky.com/story/general-election-result-times-for-all-650-seat-declarations-11878874
But Drayton Park? Ten brand new six car trains an hour run each way in peak periods with a capacity of 943 passengers each and brand new ECTS digital signalling.
Weekends are four an hour so plenty of spare trains sitting in the depot to run four extra shuttles an hour between Moorgate and Bowes Park, near Alexandra Palace, where there is a turnback siding. Shows how the railways have lost their way.
No seats at all in the Northeast or Northwest regions.
Absolute b'stards.
Ah, my coat.
https://youtu.be/QBq6gM0sI7A?feature=shared
As soon as bjo mentioned the 'undecided' category I knew what he was talking about
"Undecided 171" in the table was so obviously not seats to anyone who has ever looked at polling data beyond the headline numbers
Is our resident guide to the nation's pulse really quite so unfamiliar with polling data as she is with QT and TTMB?
No idea how I will (a) stay awake and (b) not look at my phone all day.
How difficult in a world with uniquitous mobile phone communication would it have been to find a vet with a tranquiliser dart?
Or an experienced farmer for that matter.
If they pulled that stunt in India they would have been lynched.
Awwww.
Rescue pooch nae doot.
It's the only place known to me where the Council has defined pavement parking as ASB.
However before YouTube allowed me to watch I had to view a short but succinct ad from Welsh Labour suggesting I vote Labour in the Vale of Glamorgan.
On the other hand, there's usually a news hiatus Friday daytime, isn't there? Old PM goes to the Palace, new PM goes to the Palace, then it's a couple of hours until the new government emerges.
Take Kane off and get anyone else on
Starting with East, it includes areas of Croydon which swung to the Conservatives in the 2022 locals. New Addington, once a Labour heartland council estate and the home of former Council leader Valerie Shawcross, elected Conservatives last time. Addiscombe, Shirley and Selsdon are strong Conservative areas so I just think 10/1 the Conservatives is ridiculous.
South Croydon was a Conservative stronghold - it includes Sanderstead, Riddlesdown, Coulsdon and Purley which (apart from a single LD in the 1990s) have always returned Conservative Councillors. I know I've said just because you believe something can't happen doesn't mean it can't but if the good folk of Purley and Sanderstead are abandoning the Conservatives it's a desperate prospect for the blues.
Reform eat heavily into the
Tory vote. It is much more of
a pro Boris than pro Rishi
seat.
Yougov MRP has the Tories
holding Broxbourne by just
1% over Labour but still 140 Tory MPs being elected overall
"First YouGov MRP of 2024 general election shows Labour on track to beat 1997 landslide | YouGov" https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/49606-first-yougov-mrp-of-2024-general-election-shows-labour-on-track-to-beat-1997-landslide
Edit - He will, of course, now score a hat trick.
But I expect the poor so and so will be expected to sit up regardless.
Then I can go till about 4am, take 4 hours, and then roll up just before 9am.
Hopefully I won't then miss out on too much betting. I may have a few toilet/"client call" breaks during the day.
I can then slink off about 4pm in the afternoon, on grounds of "family".
The Conservative, Nigel Mills, won with a majority of nearly 17,000 in 2019 and Labour needs an 18.5% swing to oust him. Survation has Labour leading 38-30 with Reform on 19 which would be a swing of 22.5% from the last election which is close to the national number.
Despite that, no leaflets, no posters, no stakeboards in the area I was in.
If you were to stretch your definition to breaking point then Tain Boroughs (1784) and one of its successor seats in Caithness (1945) might count.
And translating your acronyms (which are getting out of hand on here!) very few normal people watch Question Time, and no-one I know under the age of 50, or certainly 40, has watched To The Manor Born.
But thank you for being so polite and considerate. About par for the course on this forum today which has been, at times, appallingly abusive to people.
p.s. and this lady with her finger on the nation’s pulse was the first on here to tell you, in no uncertain terms, that we were heading for a Labour landslide. If you had only listened you could have made a packet.
You’re welcome
xx
What does puzzle me is that there's far more focus on Biden looking and being doddery than there is on Trump, who has lost vast amounts of weight, had his hair change colour and can't even remember the name of his own doctor.
They're both too old, but one of them is so far past it it's actually embarrassing.
next prime minister.
https://x.com/JohnRentoul/status/1802430628404568132/photo/1
An excellent move.
Trump actually has dementia.
There were more Labour posters up around here in GE2017 than there are now.
You completely misunderstood it. Everyone else can see it. And you're somehow completely incapable of admitting that you made a mistake.
We've all misinterpreted things at first glance before. There's no shame in it. Not if you are able and willing to hold you hand up to it.
No-one will be laying Michelle Obama harder over the Summer than me.
It's just they don't use it. Or misuse it, as when several idiots put Corbyn on the ballot to 'widen the debate.'
Having looked at many tens of thousands of covers, I don't think there's any real magic with 99.9% of covers that would set the human apart. While AI is clearly standing on the shoulders of giants, so are pretty much all artists.
And, while there might be the odd book that sells based on a known name (e.g. when author's back catalogues are relaunched with a named artist), people are buying the book for the author, and won't care who or what created the front.
Stats about death don't lie. German shepherds kill people. The "small minority' argument isn't much consolation for the 7 year old linked to above who was mauled to death. Owning these things is about like being a drunk driver: you will probably get away with it without anyone dying. I'm fine with that (not really) but I can do without the implied claim that it puts you on a par with St Francis of Assisi
If he drops dead, she’s not impossible.
You'd know, but didn't Churchill and IDS constituency boundaries overlap? The former clearly lost in a landslide and the latter was spared that by the men in grey suits. That's as close as I can think.
Fathers day lunch with Fox jr and partner, both voting Labour in Leicester South. Their terraced street in hipster Clarendon Park had a number of Labour window posters and a few for Greens.
A friend from Church had been canvassing for Labour in Harbrough, Odaby and Wigston, sent there from the City, and clearly a Lab target.
First electoral literature at my house. Hand delivered for LD Focus Team, complete with dubious bar chart based on Local results rather than GE or polls.
A bit like @Big_G_NorthWales I have been wavering, but increasingly certain for LD as I like their manifesto and campaign, finding the Greens a bit disappointing in debates etc. Pretty unsurprising that I return really. I voted Green in 2019.
There wasn't much going on in my locality (Con Maj of 18K over Labour) when I left to go on holiday a week ago, either. Up here in North Norfolk, meanwhile, quite a lot of posters about and Tory candidate seen canvassing earlier in the week. Liberal Democrats looking to recapture, Tory incumbent apparently making a determined defence, and noticeable amounts of Labour and Reform material around as well.
I've since confirmed that they're a Spurs supporting family and have now passed this onto to Spurs supporting Dad who will only let this influence him if tactical vote websites don't tell him to vote Labour
He was a lifelong Tory, but now wants to vote Kruger out
That doesn't mean that Trump won't win, but we should never forget what Trump apologists are apologising for.
Michelle Obama has not built the political alliances required to get the top job. Sure, in West Wing, everyone might turn round and elect her. But reality?
This is aside from the point that she has never engaged in elective politics - outside helping her husband campaign.
Churchill's old Epping constituency included Harlow for example