A stunning achievement by Starmer – politicalbetting.com

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A stunning achievement by Starmer – politicalbetting.com

EXCLUSIVEMore people now prefer Rishi Sunak’s government to Sir Keir Starmer’s administration, a @Moreincommon_ poll has foundhttps://t.co/mXSSX572P7

Read the full story here

Sandpit

1st like Rishi!

Selebian

This thread is presently less popular than the previous one. Just saying...

rottenborough

Cough, cough...

https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2024/08/20/will-the-ayatollahs-decide-the-us-election/

DecrepiterJohnL

Now the Olympics has finished, people realise how much they want to play chess in the park.

Selebian

So, could Starmer be another Lib Dem sleeper agent?

1. Trash the Tory brand
2. Trash the Labour brand
3. Usher in a Reform Lib Dem government

Anabobazina

Sir Keir will simply have to console himself with a working majority of 172.

Nigelb

Sandpit said:

1st like Rishi!

Sandpit said:

Nigelb said:

Anyone bothering to stay up for tonight's debate ?

God no, but I’ll be getting up early. It’s 5am for me, and I’m up at 5:30 anyway.

I’m genuinely fascinated by these two characters, they’re both very different to those at the top of the tickets, and have records as state governors to defend and to shape their vision.

JD has been a Senator for 2 years.
Not a governor.

JosiasJessop

Anabobazina said:

Sir Keir will simply have to console himself with a working majority of 172.

A working majority is only useful if he can:
a) Put forward useful (to Labour...) policies/votes.
b) Get his side to vote for them.

Both of these are somewhat in doubt, given the last three months.

Jonathan

Cleverly is doing pretty well.

Malmesbury

I think we need to declare the British People are Alt-Right Extremists obsessed about nothing and abolish them.

Anabobazina

JosiasJessop said:

Anabobazina said:

Sir Keir will simply have to console himself with a working majority of 172.

A working majority is only useful if he can:
a) Put forward useful (to Labour...) policies/votes.
b) Get his side to vote for them.

Both of these are somewhat in doubt, given the last three months.

Well it's been summer/recess/conference as you know full well.

There is a budget on 30 October.

You might have heard about it.

Selebian

Jonathan said:

Cleverly is doing pretty well.

If the Conservatives vote cleverly then... well, they'll vote Cleverly?

Big 'if' though.

And Cleverly is himself probably more of a steady the ship and make the Conservatives less hated candidate than an election winner, unless Labour really implode. But the choice available is the choice and they could - and quite likely will - do worse.

Sandpit

Nigelb said:

Sandpit said:

1st like Rishi!

Sandpit said:

Nigelb said:

Anyone bothering to stay up for tonight's debate ?

God no, but I’ll be getting up early. It’s 5am for me, and I’m up at 5:30 anyway.

I’m genuinely fascinated by these two characters, they’re both very different to those at the top of the tickets, and have records as state governors to defend and to shape their vision.

JD has been a Senator for 2 years.
Not a governor.

Yes of course he’s a Senator not a Governor.

Need more beer.

Leon

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

rottenborough

Jonathan said:

Cleverly is doing pretty well.

Sensibly saying he would work with Trump or Harris and he is not going to offer a preference.

Jonathan

Cleverly doesn’t understand the BBC. He doesn’t understand that the BBC doesn’t generally own the rights to the content it broadcast. I wonder what else he doesn’t understand.

HYUFD

The next Tory leader should first focus on getting the 31% who prefer the last Tory government to Starmer's to vote Tory

rottenborough

Jonathan said:

Cleverly doesn’t understand the BBC. He doesn’t understand that the BBC doesn’t generally own the rights to the content it broadcast. I wonder what else he doesn’t understand.

He's still the best candidate for the job in question - which is the long slog of LOTO.

Maybe somehow he'll make it to the last two and somehow Jenrick self-destructs?

DecrepiterJohnL

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

We know there's gossip but so much of it is contradictory and in this post-Boris age, who gives a damn anyway?

Nigelb

Sandpit said:

Nigelb said:

Sandpit said:

1st like Rishi!

Sandpit said:

Nigelb said:

Anyone bothering to stay up for tonight's debate ?

God no, but I’ll be getting up early. It’s 5am for me, and I’m up at 5:30 anyway.

I’m genuinely fascinated by these two characters, they’re both very different to those at the top of the tickets, and have records as state governors to defend and to shape their vision.

JD has been a Senator for 2 years.
Not a governor.

Yes of course he’s a Senator not a Governor.

Need more beer.

Also not much of a record to defend.
Other than saying an awful lot of offensive and/or dumb stuff.

Sandpit

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Now the Olympics has finished, people realise how much they want to play chess in the park.

I know the last government got all sorts of crap for it, but little things like chess boards in the park can work really well.

Central Park in NY has dozens of them, and there’s always loads of people around wanting a game. There’s loads of videos of hustlers who could be chess masters out there, as well as actual masters turning up and playing random members of the public. It’s brilliant for interest in the game.

carnforth

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

Highly plaiced?

Jonathan

rottenborough said:

Jonathan said:

Cleverly doesn’t understand the BBC. He doesn’t understand that the BBC doesn’t generally own the rights to the content it broadcast. I wonder what else he doesn’t understand.

He's still the best candidate for the job in question - which is the long slog of LOTO.

Maybe somehow he'll make it to the last two and somehow Jenrick self-destructs?

He’s got more ‘normal’ in him than the other three combined, but he’s obviously a cocky so with opinions not backed up with knowledge.

Nigelb

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

Is he doing him, or her, or is it a Nick XMP situation ?

TheScreamingEagles

Nigelb said:

Sandpit said:

Nigelb said:

Sandpit said:

1st like Rishi!

Sandpit said:

Nigelb said:

Anyone bothering to stay up for tonight's debate ?

God no, but I’ll be getting up early. It’s 5am for me, and I’m up at 5:30 anyway.

I’m genuinely fascinated by these two characters, they’re both very different to those at the top of the tickets, and have records as state governors to defend and to shape their vision.

JD has been a Senator for 2 years.
Not a governor.

Yes of course he’s a Senator not a Governor.

Need more beer.

Also not much of a record to defend.
Other than saying an awful lot of offensive and/or dumb stuff.

Hopefully Walz will expose Vance for his vile comments on Ukraine.

Cookie

Jonathan said:

Cleverly is doing pretty well.

Jonathan said:

Cleverly is doing pretty well.

I wish I'd taken my own advice when I said he was the value bet when his implied probability was 6%. *sigh*

rottenborough

Phil Stewart
@phildstewart
·
10m
US official tells me that Iran's attack on Israel could be as big or even bigger than the one in April, if it goes ahead.

https://x.com/phildstewart/status/1841124684932198418

Selebian

Nigelb said:

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

Is he doing him, or her, or is it a Nick XMP situation ?

I'm trying to work out which of the 'him' last four in the Tory leadership contest was not invited to the party

numbertwelve

rottenborough said:

Phil Stewart
@phildstewart
·
10m
US official tells me that Iran's attack on Israel could be as big or even bigger than the one in April, if it goes ahead.

https://x.com/phildstewart/status/1841124684932198418

That was v easily intercepted and largely considered performative. Presumably US etc will have no problem shooting the missiles down in that instance.

kenObi

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

This site should be above carrying slurs by people dancing round the libel laws to peddle snide inuendo, seemingly to prove both how clever they are and how well connected.

MaxPB

Jonathan said:

Cleverly doesn’t understand the BBC. He doesn’t understand that the BBC doesn’t generally own the rights to the content it broadcast. I wonder what else he doesn’t understand.

But that's also the BBC's own fault for not investing in their own studio productions like ITV did, instead they outsourced the majority of their drama production to the big Hollywood conglomerates who bought up the UK's indie producers from 2010-2020.

The BBC prioritised the existing on screen talent budget over investing in production, it's actually the same issue as UK companies paying dividends to shareholders rather than investing for capital growth. Good to see that it isn't just private sector management that makes the mistake.

MarqueeMark

Anabobazina said:

Sir Keir will simply have to console himself with a working majority of 172.

In the way that Boris consoled himself with a working majority of 80.

Until he couldn't.

TheScreamingEagles

MarqueeMark said:

Anabobazina said:

Sir Keir will simply have to console himself with a working majority of 172.

In the way that Boris consoled himself with a working majority of 80.

Until he couldn't.

Or Thatcher with a majority of 101.

Andy_JS

Unbelievable this ship is having to return again.

"A luxury cruise ship, which finally set sail on Monday after spending four months in Belfast for repairs, is expected to return to the city on Tuesday due to incomplete paperwork."

https://www.itv.com/news/2024-10-01/cruise-ship-that-spent-months-in-belfast-on-its-way-back-over-paperwork

mwadams

MaxPB said:

Jonathan said:

Cleverly doesn’t understand the BBC. He doesn’t understand that the BBC doesn’t generally own the rights to the content it broadcast. I wonder what else he doesn’t understand.

But that's also the BBC's own fault for not investing in their own studio productions like ITV did, instead they outsourced the majority of their drama production to the big Hollywood conglomerates who bought up the UK's indie producers from 2010-2020.

The BBC prioritised the existing on screen talent budget over investing in production, it's actually the same issue as UK companies paying dividends to shareholders rather than investing for capital growth. Good to see that it isn't just private sector management that makes the mistake.

The Government of the day required that the BBC outsourced to Indies, without requiring that the Indies remained Indie. It should be no great surprise to anyone that we are where we are.

occasionalranter

carnforth said:

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

Highly plaiced?

Well, a long way up himself, if that counts

Jonathan

TheScreamingEagles said:

MarqueeMark said:

Anabobazina said:

Sir Keir will simply have to console himself with a working majority of 172.

In the way that Boris consoled himself with a working majority of 80.

Until he couldn't.

Or Thatcher with a majority of 101.

It does make a difference when your government is 10 years in rather than 10 weeks. The PLP is currently far less fractured than the 1922 in 1990 or 2022.

Leon

kenObi said:

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

This site should be above carrying slurs by people dancing round the libel laws to peddle snide inuendo, seemingly to prove both how clever they are and how well connected.

Also I had a really nice bottle of Viognier and on the lunchtable next to us was the head of BBC News. I trust he/she wasn't listening in

TheScreamingEagles

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

Carry on like this here and you’ll be carrying on somewhere else.

JosiasJessop

kenObi said:

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

This site should be above carrying slurs by people dancing round the libel laws to peddle snide inuendo, seemingly to prove both how clever they are and how well connected.

@Leon is a fiction writer, and much of what he writes on here can be taken in the same manner.

I mean, if what he wrote on here in his various incarnations was actually factual, then he isn't a very nice bloke *at all*. Therefore I prefer to think of him as a fantasist.

JosiasJessop

Anabobazina said:

JosiasJessop said:

Anabobazina said:

Sir Keir will simply have to console himself with a working majority of 172.

A working majority is only useful if he can:
a) Put forward useful (to Labour...) policies/votes.
b) Get his side to vote for them.

Both of these are somewhat in doubt, given the last three months.

Well it's been summer/recess/conference as you know full well.

There is a budget on 30 October.

You might have heard about it.

Some of the scandals/messes/stories that Labour and (particularly Starmer) have got themselves into are zero to do with a budget.

But if that's your copium, enjoy.

numbertwelve

Jonathan said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

MarqueeMark said:

Anabobazina said:

Sir Keir will simply have to console himself with a working majority of 172.

In the way that Boris consoled himself with a working majority of 80.

Until he couldn't.

Or Thatcher with a majority of 101.

It does make a difference when your government is 10 years in rather than 10 weeks. The PLP is currently far less fractured than the 1922 in 1990 or 2022.

True, though in 10 weeks if the government is polling as unpopular as a knackered, incompetent 14-year-old administration it replaced, that is really not a good sign.

Nigelb

mwadams said:

MaxPB said:

Jonathan said:

Cleverly doesn’t understand the BBC. He doesn’t understand that the BBC doesn’t generally own the rights to the content it broadcast. I wonder what else he doesn’t understand.

But that's also the BBC's own fault for not investing in their own studio productions like ITV did, instead they outsourced the majority of their drama production to the big Hollywood conglomerates who bought up the UK's indie producers from 2010-2020.

The BBC prioritised the existing on screen talent budget over investing in production, it's actually the same issue as UK companies paying dividends to shareholders rather than investing for capital growth. Good to see that it isn't just private sector management that makes the mistake.

The Government of the day required that the BBC outsourced to Indies, without requiring that the Indies remained Indie. It should be no great surprise to anyone that we are where we are.

Irrespective of where the blame lies (and I agree with you), it was a mistake.
Similarly, the development of the BBC's online stuff was hindered by government interference.

Part of the poison is the license fee. Had the BBC been funded from general taxation, the debate over how it's run might have been far less political charged.

Andy_JS

"Jenrick reveals daughter’s middle name is Thatcher"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/jenrick-reveals-daughters-middle-name-is-thatcher

Nigelb

carnforth said:

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

Highly plaiced?

A highly sauced plaice.

So Leon was bottom fishing ?

Jonathan

numbertwelve said:

Jonathan said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

MarqueeMark said:

Anabobazina said:

Sir Keir will simply have to console himself with a working majority of 172.

In the way that Boris consoled himself with a working majority of 80.

Until he couldn't.

Or Thatcher with a majority of 101.

It does make a difference when your government is 10 years in rather than 10 weeks. The PLP is currently far less fractured than the 1922 in 1990 or 2022.

True, though in 10 weeks if the government is polling as unpopular as a knackered, incompetent 14-year-old administration it replaced, that is really not a good sign.

Labour were ahead of the Tories in September 2010. The Tories finally lost power 14 years later.

This has a lot to run.

tlg86

This is a fun game:

https://ig.ft.com/us-election-game/

dixiedean

Andy_JS said:

"Jenrick reveals daughter’s middle name is Thatcher"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/jenrick-reveals-daughters-middle-name-is-thatcher

Hope her first name was May.
May Thatcher Jenrick.
Then she'll have the names of two Tory PM's.

Jonathan

dixiedean said:

Andy_JS said:

"Jenrick reveals daughter’s middle name is Thatcher"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/jenrick-reveals-daughters-middle-name-is-thatcher

Hope her first name was May.
May Thatcher Jenrick.
Then she'll have the names of two Tory PM's.

Ouch. Brutal.

Sandpit

JosiasJessop said:

Anabobazina said:

JosiasJessop said:

Anabobazina said:

Sir Keir will simply have to console himself with a working majority of 172.

A working majority is only useful if he can:
a) Put forward useful (to Labour...) policies/votes.
b) Get his side to vote for them.

Both of these are somewhat in doubt, given the last three months.

Well it's been summer/recess/conference as you know full well.

There is a budget on 30 October.

You might have heard about it.

Some of the scandals/messes/stories that Labour and (particularly Starmer) have got themselves into are zero to do with a budget.

But if that's your copium, enjoy.

Their ratings are negative already, and we still have weeks to go until the Budget.

Hands up who thinks the Budget will result in a swing towards the government?

kenObi

Leon said:

kenObi said:

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

This site should be above carrying slurs by people dancing round the libel laws to peddle snide inuendo, seemingly to prove both how clever they are and how well connected.

Also I had a really nice bottle of Viognier and on the lunchtable next to us was the head of BBC News. I trust he/she wasn't listening in

What, you couldn't tell what sex they are ?
Or are you super sensitive about pronouns ?

What an utter fantasist you are.

IanB2

Election Fever hits Delaware!

WhisperingOracle

dixiedean said:

Andy_JS said:

"Jenrick reveals daughter’s middle name is Thatcher"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/jenrick-reveals-daughters-middle-name-is-thatcher

Hope her first name was May.
May Thatcher Jenrick.
Then she'll have the names of two Tory PM's.

May Jenrick be your new Thatcher. May Sunak Truss your Turkeys.

Fishing

IanB2 said:

Election Fever hits Delaware!

That's one confused household. Their dinners must be entertaining.

I imagine the dog is a Libertarian?

Selebian

dixiedean said:

Andy_JS said:

"Jenrick reveals daughter’s middle name is Thatcher"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/jenrick-reveals-daughters-middle-name-is-thatcher

Hope her first name was May.
May Thatcher Jenrick.
Then she'll have the names of two Tory PM's.

And if she one day reaches the rank of Major in the army...

Sandpit

Nigelb said:

mwadams said:

MaxPB said:

Jonathan said:

Cleverly doesn’t understand the BBC. He doesn’t understand that the BBC doesn’t generally own the rights to the content it broadcast. I wonder what else he doesn’t understand.

But that's also the BBC's own fault for not investing in their own studio productions like ITV did, instead they outsourced the majority of their drama production to the big Hollywood conglomerates who bought up the UK's indie producers from 2010-2020.

The BBC prioritised the existing on screen talent budget over investing in production, it's actually the same issue as UK companies paying dividends to shareholders rather than investing for capital growth. Good to see that it isn't just private sector management that makes the mistake.

The Government of the day required that the BBC outsourced to Indies, without requiring that the Indies remained Indie. It should be no great surprise to anyone that we are where we are.

Irrespective of where the blame lies (and I agree with you), it was a mistake.
Similarly, the development of the BBC's online stuff was hindered by government interference.

Part of the poison is the license fee. Had the BBC been funded from general taxation, the debate over how it's run might have been far less political charged.

General taxation would at least have been progressive, rather than possibly the single most regressive tax of all.

The way forward is not going to involve a licence fee, and is likely to involve government funding minor interest broadcasting directly to a number of broadcasters, with the BBC getting its arse in gear to licence the library worldwide.

There’s literally billions of people who could pay £5 a month for the BBC library. Every school in the world wants good quality English content.

felix

Anabobazina said:

Sir Keir will simply have to console himself with a working majority of 172.

You keep saying this and it ain't working...

MaxPB

mwadams said:

MaxPB said:

Jonathan said:

Cleverly doesn’t understand the BBC. He doesn’t understand that the BBC doesn’t generally own the rights to the content it broadcast. I wonder what else he doesn’t understand.

But that's also the BBC's own fault for not investing in their own studio productions like ITV did, instead they outsourced the majority of their drama production to the big Hollywood conglomerates who bought up the UK's indie producers from 2010-2020.

The BBC prioritised the existing on screen talent budget over investing in production, it's actually the same issue as UK companies paying dividends to shareholders rather than investing for capital growth. Good to see that it isn't just private sector management that makes the mistake.

The Government of the day required that the BBC outsourced to Indies, without requiring that the Indies remained Indie. It should be no great surprise to anyone that we are where we are.

That's not true, Channel 4 had that remit but the BBC was free to spend the money however it wanted and decided to put Gary Lineker, Huw Edwards and many others on £1m+ contracts. The cost of on screen talent has progressively eaten up more of the annual budget and instead of just saying goodbye to the expensive people and trusting the formula the BBC was too timid and risk averse so they paid up and cut investment in BBC studios.

Cookie

Selebian said:

dixiedean said:

Andy_JS said:

"Jenrick reveals daughter’s middle name is Thatcher"

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/jenrick-reveals-daughters-middle-name-is-thatcher

Hope her first name was May.
May Thatcher Jenrick.
Then she'll have the names of two Tory PM's.

And if she one day reaches the rank of Major in the army...

Amused that noone is considering the possibility of her father making PM at all to make it four.

Leon

As people seem interested in my lunchtime revelations...


I can say that was the best Dover Sole Meuniere I've ever had. In fact one of the best fish dishes of any kind that I have had recnetly.

I tried to master this apparently simple dish - sole meuniere - at home, and thought I'd done it, but this.... wow. Whole new level. On the bone, of course

Nonetheless, FIFTY EIGHT QUID?

Edit to add: I take it all back. I have just checked the price, a single Dover Sole - enough for 1 - now fetches nearly £30 from a fish market. So that might explain it

https://thecornishfishmonger.co.uk/dover-sole.html?srsltid=AfmBOopVkIKv93axTK3H5B2SOqHWuqMfSyz51pZjsjABUnq63_GVCcOJ

LostPassword

kenObi said:

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

This site should be above carrying slurs by people dancing round the libel laws to peddle snide inuendo, seemingly to prove both how clever they are and how well connected.

In a medieval court the fool was expected to entertain and amuse, and was given a greater latitude than other members of the court to transgress the normal rules to do so.

Think of Leon in the same way.

WhisperingOracle

Sandpit said:

Nigelb said:

mwadams said:

MaxPB said:

Jonathan said:

Cleverly doesn’t understand the BBC. He doesn’t understand that the BBC doesn’t generally own the rights to the content it broadcast. I wonder what else he doesn’t understand.

But that's also the BBC's own fault for not investing in their own studio productions like ITV did, instead they outsourced the majority of their drama production to the big Hollywood conglomerates who bought up the UK's indie producers from 2010-2020.

The BBC prioritised the existing on screen talent budget over investing in production, it's actually the same issue as UK companies paying dividends to shareholders rather than investing for capital growth. Good to see that it isn't just private sector management that makes the mistake.

The Government of the day required that the BBC outsourced to Indies, without requiring that the Indies remained Indie. It should be no great surprise to anyone that we are where we are.

Irrespective of where the blame lies (and I agree with you), it was a mistake.
Similarly, the development of the BBC's online stuff was hindered by government interference.

Part of the poison is the license fee. Had the BBC been funded from general taxation, the debate over how it's run might have been far less political charged.

General taxation would at least have been progressive, rather than possibly the single most regressive tax of all.

The way forward is not going to involve a licence fee, and is likely to involve government funding minor interest broadcasting directly to a number of broadcasters, with the BBC getting its arse in gear to licence the library worldwide.

There’s literally billions of people who could pay £5 a month for the BBC library. Every school in the world wants good quality English content.

Once the structure of the BBC was changed in the 1990's, the movement away from in-house was an inevitability.
I mention it often, but it bears repeating ; the starting mistake was letting McKinsey's run riot with the BBC in the mid-'90s.

BartholomewRoberts

MaxPB said:

mwadams said:

MaxPB said:

Jonathan said:

Cleverly doesn’t understand the BBC. He doesn’t understand that the BBC doesn’t generally own the rights to the content it broadcast. I wonder what else he doesn’t understand.

But that's also the BBC's own fault for not investing in their own studio productions like ITV did, instead they outsourced the majority of their drama production to the big Hollywood conglomerates who bought up the UK's indie producers from 2010-2020.

The BBC prioritised the existing on screen talent budget over investing in production, it's actually the same issue as UK companies paying dividends to shareholders rather than investing for capital growth. Good to see that it isn't just private sector management that makes the mistake.

The Government of the day required that the BBC outsourced to Indies, without requiring that the Indies remained Indie. It should be no great surprise to anyone that we are where we are.

That's not true, Channel 4 had that remit but the BBC was free to spend the money however it wanted and decided to put Gary Lineker, Huw Edwards and many others on £1m+ contracts. The cost of on screen talent has progressively eaten up more of the annual budget and instead of just saying goodbye to the expensive people and trusting the formula the BBC was too timid and risk averse so they paid up and cut investment in BBC studios.

Absolutely!

The idea that people ever watched Match of the Day because of Lineker rather than because of the football highlights was preposterous.

Instead of paying a big sum for "The Talent" (which seems to be a proper noun the way they use it) the BBC should pay a market rate and develop talent.

Market rate doesn't mean a blank cheque whatever the most expensive person wants. Market rate means that you accept applications from everyone who meets the skill requirements of the job (or can be trained to do so) then take the cheapest applicant who has the requisite skillset.

LostPassword

MaxPB said:

Jonathan said:

Cleverly doesn’t understand the BBC. He doesn’t understand that the BBC doesn’t generally own the rights to the content it broadcast. I wonder what else he doesn’t understand.

But that's also the BBC's own fault for not investing in their own studio productions like ITV did, instead they outsourced the majority of their drama production to the big Hollywood conglomerates who bought up the UK's indie producers from 2010-2020.

The BBC prioritised the existing on screen talent budget over investing in production, it's actually the same issue as UK companies paying dividends to shareholders rather than investing for capital growth. Good to see that it isn't just private sector management that makes the mistake.

The thing is the BBC was encouraged to do this, to support an independent production sector, as an alternative to being a huge Goliath in the British production industry and squashing all the competition.

Leon

kenObi said:

Leon said:

kenObi said:

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

This site should be above carrying slurs by people dancing round the libel laws to peddle snide inuendo, seemingly to prove both how clever they are and how well connected.

Also I had a really nice bottle of Viognier and on the lunchtable next to us was the head of BBC News. I trust he/she wasn't listening in

What, you couldn't tell what sex they are ?
Or are you super sensitive about pronouns ?

What an utter fantasist you are.

I'm just very Woke, sorry if that irks you. Pronouns matter

WhisperingOracle

Leon said:

As people seem interested in my lunchtime revelations...


I can say that was the best Dover Sole Meuniere I've ever had. In fact one of the best fish dishes of any kind that I have had recnetly.

I tried to master this apparently simple dish - sole meuniere - at home, and thought I'd done it, but this.... wow. Whole new level. On the bone, of course

Nonetheless, FIFTY EIGHT QUID?

Edit to add: I take it all back. I have just checked the price, a single Dover Sole - enough for 1 - now fetches nearly £30 from a fish market. So that might explain it

https://thecornishfishmonger.co.uk/dover-sole.html?srsltid=AfmBOopVkIKv93axTK3H5B2SOqHWuqMfSyz51pZjsjABUnq63_GVCcOJ

The King of fish, except the legendary sea bass, ofcourse.

carnforth

JosiasJessop said:

kenObi said:

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

This site should be above carrying slurs by people dancing round the libel laws to peddle snide inuendo, seemingly to prove both how clever they are and how well connected.

@Leon is a fiction writer, and much of what he writes on here can be taken in the same manner.

I mean, if what he wrote on here in his various incarnations was actually factual, then he isn't a very nice bloke *at all*. Therefore I prefer to think of him as a fantasist.

When I was about 19, it took me an embarrassingly long time to realise that Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was a tad exaggerated.

Benpointer

BBC is re-running Threads. BBC4 Weds 9th Oct 22:15

Brace.

BartholomewRoberts

WhisperingOracle said:

Sandpit said:

Nigelb said:

mwadams said:

MaxPB said:

Jonathan said:

Cleverly doesn’t understand the BBC. He doesn’t understand that the BBC doesn’t generally own the rights to the content it broadcast. I wonder what else he doesn’t understand.

But that's also the BBC's own fault for not investing in their own studio productions like ITV did, instead they outsourced the majority of their drama production to the big Hollywood conglomerates who bought up the UK's indie producers from 2010-2020.

The BBC prioritised the existing on screen talent budget over investing in production, it's actually the same issue as UK companies paying dividends to shareholders rather than investing for capital growth. Good to see that it isn't just private sector management that makes the mistake.

The Government of the day required that the BBC outsourced to Indies, without requiring that the Indies remained Indie. It should be no great surprise to anyone that we are where we are.

Irrespective of where the blame lies (and I agree with you), it was a mistake.
Similarly, the development of the BBC's online stuff was hindered by government interference.

Part of the poison is the license fee. Had the BBC been funded from general taxation, the debate over how it's run might have been far less political charged.

General taxation would at least have been progressive, rather than possibly the single most regressive tax of all.

The way forward is not going to involve a licence fee, and is likely to involve government funding minor interest broadcasting directly to a number of broadcasters, with the BBC getting its arse in gear to licence the library worldwide.

There’s literally billions of people who could pay £5 a month for the BBC library. Every school in the world wants good quality English content.

Once the structure of the BBC was changed in the 1990's, the movement away from in-house was an inevitability.
I mention it often, but it bears repeating ; the starting mistake was letting McKinsey's run riot with the BBC in the mid-'90s.

The starting mistake was keeping the licence fee model into the 21st century so that the BBC got cushy and considered itself to have a steady and guaranteed income it could spend on The Talent rather than working to develop reliable streams of income, spending where necessary not blank cheques and cutting all else, and attracting willing subscribers.

Leon

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

As people seem interested in my lunchtime revelations...


I can say that was the best Dover Sole Meuniere I've ever had. In fact one of the best fish dishes of any kind that I have had recnetly.

I tried to master this apparently simple dish - sole meuniere - at home, and thought I'd done it, but this.... wow. Whole new level. On the bone, of course

Nonetheless, FIFTY EIGHT QUID?

Edit to add: I take it all back. I have just checked the price, a single Dover Sole - enough for 1 - now fetches nearly £30 from a fish market. So that might explain it

https://thecornishfishmonger.co.uk/dover-sole.html?srsltid=AfmBOopVkIKv93axTK3H5B2SOqHWuqMfSyz51pZjsjABUnq63_GVCcOJ

The King of fish, except the legendary sea bass, ofcourse.

I'd raise this above sea bass, and I had a superb wild sea bass recently. Also fantastic carp and trout in Montenegro

I think the gold metal "greatest fish to eat" is a final bout between Dover Sole and Turbot

BUT the winner must then go to a kind of global supercup match against Patagonian Toothfish (OMG!)

Leon

carnforth said:

JosiasJessop said:

kenObi said:

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

This site should be above carrying slurs by people dancing round the libel laws to peddle snide inuendo, seemingly to prove both how clever they are and how well connected.

@Leon is a fiction writer, and much of what he writes on here can be taken in the same manner.

I mean, if what he wrote on here in his various incarnations was actually factual, then he isn't a very nice bloke *at all*. Therefore I prefer to think of him as a fantasist.

When I was about 19, it took me an embarrassingly long time to realise that Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was a tad exaggerated.

Thing is, my life has been a bit like Hunter S Thompson's except with far fewer exaggerations. You can believe that or not

Benpointer

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

As people seem interested in my lunchtime revelations...


I can say that was the best Dover Sole Meuniere I've ever had. In fact one of the best fish dishes of any kind that I have had recnetly.

I tried to master this apparently simple dish - sole meuniere - at home, and thought I'd done it, but this.... wow. Whole new level. On the bone, of course

Nonetheless, FIFTY EIGHT QUID?

Edit to add: I take it all back. I have just checked the price, a single Dover Sole - enough for 1 - now fetches nearly £30 from a fish market. So that might explain it

https://thecornishfishmonger.co.uk/dover-sole.html?srsltid=AfmBOopVkIKv93axTK3H5B2SOqHWuqMfSyz51pZjsjABUnq63_GVCcOJ

The King of fish, except the legendary sea bass, of course.

Sea bass are not real? Whatever next?

Nigelb

numbertwelve said:

Jonathan said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

MarqueeMark said:

Anabobazina said:

Sir Keir will simply have to console himself with a working majority of 172.

In the way that Boris consoled himself with a working majority of 80.

Until he couldn't.

Or Thatcher with a majority of 101.

It does make a difference when your government is 10 years in rather than 10 weeks. The PLP is currently far less fractured than the 1922 in 1990 or 2022.

True, though in 10 weeks if the government is polling as unpopular as a knackered, incompetent 14-year-old administration it replaced, that is really not a good sign.

By the beginning of 1980, Labour had an 8% polling lead over the Conservatives.

Thatcher's signature move in her first six months was to increase defence spending - which she then reversed the following year (leading to ministerial changes, and in due course, the Falklands).

The first policy which is now positively recalled as part of her legacy (Heseltine's bill to sell council houses), didn't come until the following year. The1980 embassy siege was another boost to her popularity, which had little or nothing to do with having a coherent program for government.

And that's a new administration and PM with substantially more government experience than either Starmer or his team.

He and Labour have had a crap start, but it's perhaps a little early to be writing him off.

IanB2

Fishing said:

IanB2 said:

Election Fever hits Delaware!

That's one confused household. Their dinners must be entertaining.

Neighbours, who probably don't speak

Jonathan

Benpointer said:

BBC is re-running Threads. BBC4 Weds 9th Oct 22:15

Brace.

Excellent A little light escapist relief from 2024. And they never made a sequel. 🤷‍♂️

If I recall correctly the story start with a conflict in Iran.

kinabalu

felix said:

Anabobazina said:

Sir Keir will simply have to console himself with a working majority of 172.

You keep saying this and it ain't working...

Well people keep saying Starmer is in trouble and that isn't working either.

Fishing

Sandpit said:

JosiasJessop said:

Anabobazina said:

JosiasJessop said:

Anabobazina said:

Sir Keir will simply have to console himself with a working majority of 172.

A working majority is only useful if he can:
a) Put forward useful (to Labour...) policies/votes.
b) Get his side to vote for them.

Both of these are somewhat in doubt, given the last three months.

Well it's been summer/recess/conference as you know full well.

There is a budget on 30 October.

You might have heard about it.

Some of the scandals/messes/stories that Labour and (particularly Starmer) have got themselves into are zero to do with a budget.

But if that's your copium, enjoy.

Their ratings are negative already, and we still have weeks to go until the Budget.

Hands up who thinks the Budget will result in a swing towards the government?

Anybody else remember all the SKS fans on here and elsewhere looking forward to his administration and saying how far a bit of competence and honesty would go and how many quick and easy wins there were that the EEEEVVVILLL Tories weren't going for?

By my count, we should have ended corruption, stopped the small boats, built HS2 to Inverness and started about 7 million new houses. And Labour should be on 93%.

Benpointer

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

As people seem interested in my lunchtime revelations...


I can say that was the best Dover Sole Meuniere I've ever had. In fact one of the best fish dishes of any kind that I have had recnetly.

I tried to master this apparently simple dish - sole meuniere - at home, and thought I'd done it, but this.... wow. Whole new level. On the bone, of course

Nonetheless, FIFTY EIGHT QUID?

Edit to add: I take it all back. I have just checked the price, a single Dover Sole - enough for 1 - now fetches nearly £30 from a fish market. So that might explain it

https://thecornishfishmonger.co.uk/dover-sole.html?srsltid=AfmBOopVkIKv93axTK3H5B2SOqHWuqMfSyz51pZjsjABUnq63_GVCcOJ

The King of fish, except the legendary sea bass, ofcourse.

I'd raise this above sea bass, and I had a superb wild sea bass recently. Also fantastic carp and trout in Montenegro

I think the gold metal "greatest fish to eat" is a final bout between Dover Sole and Turbot

BUT the winner must then go to a kind of global supercup match against Patagonian Toothfish (OMG!)

Turbot yes, Dover sole yes, sea bass (if they really exist) yes.

Carp? No, just no.

OldKingCole

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

As people seem interested in my lunchtime revelations...


I can say that was the best Dover Sole Meuniere I've ever had. In fact one of the best fish dishes of any kind that I have had recnetly.

I tried to master this apparently simple dish - sole meuniere - at home, and thought I'd done it, but this.... wow. Whole new level. On the bone, of course

Nonetheless, FIFTY EIGHT QUID?

Edit to add: I take it all back. I have just checked the price, a single Dover Sole - enough for 1 - now fetches nearly £30 from a fish market. So that might explain it

https://thecornishfishmonger.co.uk/dover-sole.html?srsltid=AfmBOopVkIKv93axTK3H5B2SOqHWuqMfSyz51pZjsjABUnq63_GVCcOJ

The King of fish, except the legendary sea bass, ofcourse.

I'd raise this above sea bass, and I had a superb wild sea bass recently. Also fantastic carp and trout in Montenegro

I think the gold metal "greatest fish to eat" is a final bout between Dover Sole and Turbot

BUT the winner must then go to a kind of global supercup match against Patagonian Toothfish (OMG!)

I hear and read about people whose opinions I value on food and drink waxing lyrical about fish dishes and wonder why I don't enjoy them. Shellfish, prawns etc I enjoy but not fish as such.
Is it because when I was a child 'fish' always seemed to have bones in it, especially snoek? Or because I spent part of my late teens dissecting dogfish?
Or both?

Sunil_Prasannan

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

As people seem interested in my lunchtime revelations...


I can say that was the best Dover Sole Meuniere I've ever had. In fact one of the best fish dishes of any kind that I have had recnetly.

I tried to master this apparently simple dish - sole meuniere - at home, and thought I'd done it, but this.... wow. Whole new level. On the bone, of course

Nonetheless, FIFTY EIGHT QUID?

Edit to add: I take it all back. I have just checked the price, a single Dover Sole - enough for 1 - now fetches nearly £30 from a fish market. So that might explain it

https://thecornishfishmonger.co.uk/dover-sole.html?srsltid=AfmBOopVkIKv93axTK3H5B2SOqHWuqMfSyz51pZjsjABUnq63_GVCcOJ

The King of fish, except the legendary sea bass, ofcourse.

I'd raise this above sea bass, and I had a superb wild sea bass recently. Also fantastic carp and trout in Montenegro

I think the gold metal "greatest fish to eat" is a final bout between Dover Sole and Turbot

BUT the winner must then go to a kind of global supercup match against Patagonian Toothfish (OMG!)

Is it vegan???

TheScreamingEagles

Jonathan said:

Benpointer said:

BBC is re-running Threads. BBC4 Weds 9th Oct 22:15

Brace.

Excellent A little light escapist relief from 2024. And they never made a sequel. 🤷‍♂️

If I recall correctly the story start with a conflict in Iran.

Snowflakes get easily triggered by that film.

Stereodog

Leon said:

kenObi said:

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

This site should be above carrying slurs by people dancing round the libel laws to peddle snide inuendo, seemingly to prove both how clever they are and how well connected.

Also I had a really nice bottle of Viognier and on the lunchtable next to us was the head of BBC News. I trust he/she wasn't listening in

I can't order a bottle of Viognier without thinking of this Oz and James clip about the impossibility of not ordering it in a French accent:

https://youtu.be/b9P4oPkztLU?si=vXkfmy1okk4hx7t1

Foss

Sunil_Prasannan said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

As people seem interested in my lunchtime revelations...


I can say that was the best Dover Sole Meuniere I've ever had. In fact one of the best fish dishes of any kind that I have had recnetly.

I tried to master this apparently simple dish - sole meuniere - at home, and thought I'd done it, but this.... wow. Whole new level. On the bone, of course

Nonetheless, FIFTY EIGHT QUID?

Edit to add: I take it all back. I have just checked the price, a single Dover Sole - enough for 1 - now fetches nearly £30 from a fish market. So that might explain it

https://thecornishfishmonger.co.uk/dover-sole.html?srsltid=AfmBOopVkIKv93axTK3H5B2SOqHWuqMfSyz51pZjsjABUnq63_GVCcOJ

The King of fish, except the legendary sea bass, ofcourse.

I'd raise this above sea bass, and I had a superb wild sea bass recently. Also fantastic carp and trout in Montenegro

I think the gold metal "greatest fish to eat" is a final bout between Dover Sole and Turbot

BUT the winner must then go to a kind of global supercup match against Patagonian Toothfish (OMG!)

Is it vegan???

For certain expansive values of 'vegan'...

MattW

Leon said:

£58??? For sole meunière???

Only one?

Tut.

Sandpit

MaxPB said:

mwadams said:

MaxPB said:

Jonathan said:

Cleverly doesn’t understand the BBC. He doesn’t understand that the BBC doesn’t generally own the rights to the content it broadcast. I wonder what else he doesn’t understand.

But that's also the BBC's own fault for not investing in their own studio productions like ITV did, instead they outsourced the majority of their drama production to the big Hollywood conglomerates who bought up the UK's indie producers from 2010-2020.

The BBC prioritised the existing on screen talent budget over investing in production, it's actually the same issue as UK companies paying dividends to shareholders rather than investing for capital growth. Good to see that it isn't just private sector management that makes the mistake.

The Government of the day required that the BBC outsourced to Indies, without requiring that the Indies remained Indie. It should be no great surprise to anyone that we are where we are.

That's not true, Channel 4 had that remit but the BBC was free to spend the money however it wanted and decided to put Gary Lineker, Huw Edwards and many others on £1m+ contracts. The cost of on screen talent has progressively eaten up more of the annual budget and instead of just saying goodbye to the expensive people and trusting the formula the BBC was too timid and risk averse so they paid up and cut investment in BBC studios.

To be fair, they were only paying Edwards half a mil - although perhaps a few eyebrows should have been raised at his 10% pay rise being nodded through after he’d already been suspended.

viewcode

Andy_JS said:

Unbelievable this ship is having to return again.

"A luxury cruise ship, which finally set sail on Monday after spending four months in Belfast for repairs, is expected to return to the city on Tuesday due to incomplete paperwork."

https://www.itv.com/news/2024-10-01/cruise-ship-that-spent-months-in-belfast-on-its-way-back-over-paperwork

If that wasn't a JG Ballard novel, it should have been.

One of my favourite films is a 1974 film called "Juggernaut". It's about a broken-down old liner called "Brittannic" held ransom by a bomber. The analogy to 1970s England is as subtle as a brick. I think this 2024 saga also suffices.

Juggernaut trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4DsBoWVjvc
Juggernaut on Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juggernaut_(1974_film)

JosiasJessop

Leon said:

carnforth said:

JosiasJessop said:

kenObi said:

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

This site should be above carrying slurs by people dancing round the libel laws to peddle snide inuendo, seemingly to prove both how clever they are and how well connected.

@Leon is a fiction writer, and much of what he writes on here can be taken in the same manner.

I mean, if what he wrote on here in his various incarnations was actually factual, then he isn't a very nice bloke *at all*. Therefore I prefer to think of him as a fantasist.

When I was about 19, it took me an embarrassingly long time to realise that Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was a tad exaggerated.

Thing is, my life has been a bit like Hunter S Thompson's except with far fewer exaggerations. You can believe that or not

You've taken so many drugs that you *think* your life has been a bit like Hunter S Thompson's except with far fewer exaggerations.

In reality, you're so doped up that, in reality, you are bashing into a wall trying to get into the toilets at King's Lynn bus station. (*)

(*) I really did see someone doing this once. The doorway was to their left, and they were constantly walking into the wall just beside the doorway.

Leon

Benpointer said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

As people seem interested in my lunchtime revelations...


I can say that was the best Dover Sole Meuniere I've ever had. In fact one of the best fish dishes of any kind that I have had recnetly.

I tried to master this apparently simple dish - sole meuniere - at home, and thought I'd done it, but this.... wow. Whole new level. On the bone, of course

Nonetheless, FIFTY EIGHT QUID?

Edit to add: I take it all back. I have just checked the price, a single Dover Sole - enough for 1 - now fetches nearly £30 from a fish market. So that might explain it

https://thecornishfishmonger.co.uk/dover-sole.html?srsltid=AfmBOopVkIKv93axTK3H5B2SOqHWuqMfSyz51pZjsjABUnq63_GVCcOJ

The King of fish, except the legendary sea bass, ofcourse.

I'd raise this above sea bass, and I had a superb wild sea bass recently. Also fantastic carp and trout in Montenegro

I think the gold metal "greatest fish to eat" is a final bout between Dover Sole and Turbot

BUT the winner must then go to a kind of global supercup match against Patagonian Toothfish (OMG!)

Turbot yes, Dover sole yes, sea bass (if they really exist) yes.

Carp? No, just no.

Ah, but have you had carp wild and marinated and served cold with hot boiled potatoes in spinach and herbs, at a lakeshore restaurant in Virpazar, Montenegro, by the waters of Skadar?

I have (last month actually) and it was SUBLIME. It sounded awful, but it was mega-delish

viewcode

Benpointer said:

BBC is re-running Threads. BBC4 Weds 9th Oct 22:15

Brace.

I've seen it. Would you like spoilers?

Nigelb

OldKingCole said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

As people seem interested in my lunchtime revelations...

I can say that was the best Dover Sole Meuniere I've ever had. In fact one of the best fish dishes of any kind that I have had recnetly.

I tried to master this apparently simple dish - sole meuniere - at home, and thought I'd done it, but this.... wow. Whole new level. On the bone, of course

Nonetheless, FIFTY EIGHT QUID?

Edit to add: I take it all back. I have just checked the price, a single Dover Sole - enough for 1 - now fetches nearly £30 from a fish market. So that might explain it

https://thecornishfishmonger.co.uk/dover-sole.html?srsltid=AfmBOopVkIKv93axTK3H5B2SOqHWuqMfSyz51pZjsjABUnq63_GVCcOJ

The King of fish, except the legendary sea bass, ofcourse.

I'd raise this above sea bass, and I had a superb wild sea bass recently. Also fantastic carp and trout in Montenegro

I think the gold metal "greatest fish to eat" is a final bout between Dover Sole and Turbot

BUT the winner must then go to a kind of global supercup match against Patagonian Toothfish (OMG!)

I hear and read about people whose opinions I value on food and drink waxing lyrical about fish dishes and wonder why I don't enjoy them. Shellfish, prawns etc I enjoy but not fish as such.
Is it because when I was a child 'fish' always seemed to have bones in it, especially snoek? Or because I spent part of my late teens dissecting dogfish?
Or both?

Did you never enjoy fish & chips back in the day ?

OldKingCole

JosiasJessop said:

Leon said:

carnforth said:

JosiasJessop said:

kenObi said:

Leon said:

Just had a long boozy lunch at the Groucho with a “highly placed source”

Revelations:

1. Omg the food at the Grouch is now vastly improved. Divine Sole Meunière

2. However the prices have risen accordingly. £58??? For sole meunière??? Luckily my source was paying

3. There is indeed gossip on “him”

4. Also “him”

5. And, surprisingly, “her”

Good day

This site should be above carrying slurs by people dancing round the libel laws to peddle snide inuendo, seemingly to prove both how clever they are and how well connected.

@Leon is a fiction writer, and much of what he writes on here can be taken in the same manner.

I mean, if what he wrote on here in his various incarnations was actually factual, then he isn't a very nice bloke *at all*. Therefore I prefer to think of him as a fantasist.

When I was about 19, it took me an embarrassingly long time to realise that Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was a tad exaggerated.

Thing is, my life has been a bit like Hunter S Thompson's except with far fewer exaggerations. You can believe that or not

You've taken so many drugs that you *think* your life has been a bit like Hunter S Thompson's except with far fewer exaggerations.

In reality, you're so doped up that, in reality, you are bashing into a wall trying to get into the toilets at King's Lynn bus station. (*)

(*) I really did see someone doing this once. The doorway was to their left, and they were constantly walking into the wall just beside the doorway.

Normal for Norfolk!

TheScreamingEagles

WE HAVE CROSSOVER ON BETFAIR IN THE TORY LEADERSHIP ELECTION.

Badenoch slips to third place as Cleverly overtakes her.

OldKingCole

Nigelb said:

OldKingCole said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

As people seem interested in my lunchtime revelations...

I can say that was the best Dover Sole Meuniere I've ever had. In fact one of the best fish dishes of any kind that I have had recnetly.

I tried to master this apparently simple dish - sole meuniere - at home, and thought I'd done it, but this.... wow. Whole new level. On the bone, of course

Nonetheless, FIFTY EIGHT QUID?

Edit to add: I take it all back. I have just checked the price, a single Dover Sole - enough for 1 - now fetches nearly £30 from a fish market. So that might explain it

https://thecornishfishmonger.co.uk/dover-sole.html?srsltid=AfmBOopVkIKv93axTK3H5B2SOqHWuqMfSyz51pZjsjABUnq63_GVCcOJ

The King of fish, except the legendary sea bass, ofcourse.

I'd raise this above sea bass, and I had a superb wild sea bass recently. Also fantastic carp and trout in Montenegro

I think the gold metal "greatest fish to eat" is a final bout between Dover Sole and Turbot

BUT the winner must then go to a kind of global supercup match against Patagonian Toothfish (OMG!)

I hear and read about people whose opinions I value on food and drink waxing lyrical about fish dishes and wonder why I don't enjoy them. Shellfish, prawns etc I enjoy but not fish as such.
Is it because when I was a child 'fish' always seemed to have bones in it, especially snoek? Or because I spent part of my late teens dissecting dogfish?
Or both?

Did you never enjoy fish & chips back in the day ?

TBH, no. Not even out of newspaper. I've eaten them of course, but I don't really enjoy them. When we go out my wife often has them, but I just can't enjoy.

numbertwelve

Benpointer said:

BBC is re-running Threads. BBC4 Weds 9th Oct 22:15

Brace.

Oh goody, that will cheer us all up as we head towards the darker months.

Sunil_Prasannan

viewcode said:

Andy_JS said:

Unbelievable this ship is having to return again.

"A luxury cruise ship, which finally set sail on Monday after spending four months in Belfast for repairs, is expected to return to the city on Tuesday due to incomplete paperwork."

https://www.itv.com/news/2024-10-01/cruise-ship-that-spent-months-in-belfast-on-its-way-back-over-paperwork

If that wasn't a JG Ballard novel, it should have been.

One of my favourite films is a 1974 film called "Juggernaut". It's about a broken-down old liner called "Brittannic" held ransom by a bomber. The analogy to 1970s England is as subtle as a brick. I think this 2024 saga also suffices.

Juggernaut trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4DsBoWVjvc
Juggernaut on Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juggernaut_(1974_film)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMHS_Britannic

JosiasJessop

OldKingCole said:

Nigelb said:

OldKingCole said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

As people seem interested in my lunchtime revelations...

I can say that was the best Dover Sole Meuniere I've ever had. In fact one of the best fish dishes of any kind that I have had recnetly.

I tried to master this apparently simple dish - sole meuniere - at home, and thought I'd done it, but this.... wow. Whole new level. On the bone, of course

Nonetheless, FIFTY EIGHT QUID?

Edit to add: I take it all back. I have just checked the price, a single Dover Sole - enough for 1 - now fetches nearly £30 from a fish market. So that might explain it

https://thecornishfishmonger.co.uk/dover-sole.html?srsltid=AfmBOopVkIKv93axTK3H5B2SOqHWuqMfSyz51pZjsjABUnq63_GVCcOJ

The King of fish, except the legendary sea bass, ofcourse.

I'd raise this above sea bass, and I had a superb wild sea bass recently. Also fantastic carp and trout in Montenegro

I think the gold metal "greatest fish to eat" is a final bout between Dover Sole and Turbot

BUT the winner must then go to a kind of global supercup match against Patagonian Toothfish (OMG!)

I hear and read about people whose opinions I value on food and drink waxing lyrical about fish dishes and wonder why I don't enjoy them. Shellfish, prawns etc I enjoy but not fish as such.
Is it because when I was a child 'fish' always seemed to have bones in it, especially snoek? Or because I spent part of my late teens dissecting dogfish?
Or both?

Did you never enjoy fish & chips back in the day ?

TBH, no. Not even out of newspaper. I've eaten them of course, but I don't really enjoy them. When we go out my wife often has them, but I just can't enjoy.

Fish and chips, like any food, can encompass a multitude of sins. Sometimes they can awful, and sometimes they can be heavenly, depending on the shop and time you get them.

The best I ever had was in Oz. Heavenly, with a slice of lemon, salt, and vinegar.

Andy_JS

"Cleverly backs replacing BBC licence fee with subscription model and says he will accept gifts if made Tory leader"

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2024/oct/01/tory-leadership-rivals-turn-on-jenrick-sas-claims-tugendhat-cleverly-badenoch-tory-conference-uk-politics-live

williamglenn

Anabobazina said:

Sir Keir will simply have to console himself with a working majority of 172.

Parliament giveth confidence, and Parliament taketh confidence away.

Nigelb

OldKingCole said:

Nigelb said:

OldKingCole said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

As people seem interested in my lunchtime revelations...

I can say that was the best Dover Sole Meuniere I've ever had. In fact one of the best fish dishes of any kind that I have had recnetly.

I tried to master this apparently simple dish - sole meuniere - at home, and thought I'd done it, but this.... wow. Whole new level. On the bone, of course

Nonetheless, FIFTY EIGHT QUID?

Edit to add: I take it all back. I have just checked the price, a single Dover Sole - enough for 1 - now fetches nearly £30 from a fish market. So that might explain it

https://thecornishfishmonger.co.uk/dover-sole.html?srsltid=AfmBOopVkIKv93axTK3H5B2SOqHWuqMfSyz51pZjsjABUnq63_GVCcOJ

The King of fish, except the legendary sea bass, ofcourse.

I'd raise this above sea bass, and I had a superb wild sea bass recently. Also fantastic carp and trout in Montenegro

I think the gold metal "greatest fish to eat" is a final bout between Dover Sole and Turbot

BUT the winner must then go to a kind of global supercup match against Patagonian Toothfish (OMG!)

I hear and read about people whose opinions I value on food and drink waxing lyrical about fish dishes and wonder why I don't enjoy them. Shellfish, prawns etc I enjoy but not fish as such.
Is it because when I was a child 'fish' always seemed to have bones in it, especially snoek? Or because I spent part of my late teens dissecting dogfish?
Or both?

Did you never enjoy fish & chips back in the day ?

TBH, no. Not even out of newspaper. I've eaten them of course, but I don't really enjoy them. When we go out my wife often has them, but I just can't enjoy.

Just a personal thing, I guess.
I love fish, and my wife dislikes it.

LostPassword

JosiasJessop said:

OldKingCole said:

Nigelb said:

OldKingCole said:

Leon said:

WhisperingOracle said:

Leon said:

As people seem interested in my lunchtime revelations...

I can say that was the best Dover Sole Meuniere I've ever had. In fact one of the best fish dishes of any kind that I have had recnetly.

I tried to master this apparently simple dish - sole meuniere - at home, and thought I'd done it, but this.... wow. Whole new level. On the bone, of course

Nonetheless, FIFTY EIGHT QUID?

Edit to add: I take it all back. I have just checked the price, a single Dover Sole - enough for 1 - now fetches nearly £30 from a fish market. So that might explain it

https://thecornishfishmonger.co.uk/dover-sole.html?srsltid=AfmBOopVkIKv93axTK3H5B2SOqHWuqMfSyz51pZjsjABUnq63_GVCcOJ

The King of fish, except the legendary sea bass, ofcourse.

I'd raise this above sea bass, and I had a superb wild sea bass recently. Also fantastic carp and trout in Montenegro

I think the gold metal "greatest fish to eat" is a final bout between Dover Sole and Turbot

BUT the winner must then go to a kind of global supercup match against Patagonian Toothfish (OMG!)

I hear and read about people whose opinions I value on food and drink waxing lyrical about fish dishes and wonder why I don't enjoy them. Shellfish, prawns etc I enjoy but not fish as such.
Is it because when I was a child 'fish' always seemed to have bones in it, especially snoek? Or because I spent part of my late teens dissecting dogfish?
Or both?

Did you never enjoy fish & chips back in the day ?

TBH, no. Not even out of newspaper. I've eaten them of course, but I don't really enjoy them. When we go out my wife often has them, but I just can't enjoy.

Fish and chips, like any food, can encompass a multitude of sins. Sometimes they can awful, and sometimes they can be heavenly, depending on the shop and time you get them.

The best I ever had was in Oz. Heavenly, with a slice of lemon, salt, and vinegar.

Fish and chips would be nice. Feels like it's been ages.