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Most Brits do not consider Die Hard to be a Christmas film – politicalbetting.com

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  • eekeek Posts: 28,585
    Sandpit said:

    Morning PB'ers.

    "Elon Musk backs calIs for election to remove "tyrannical" uk government"

    I see that the Telegraph is now fully committed to billionaire oligarchic rule over democratically elected rule.

    This was always it's underlying function, but it's now so far gone I
    wouldn't trust it not to become the leading propaganda outlet, in any Orbanisation of the U.K.

    The Telegraph is up for sale. Musk can buy it.

    Having said which, a lot of what Musk is doing is retweeting with the odd approving word or emoji. Whether he bothers to read and understand the originals is open to question. We have had plenty of our own cases where politicians are taken to task for "liking" a decade-old post which contained an unfortunate turn of phrase in paragraph three.
    Yes, and he’s doing it hundreds of times a day, as if he was making notes to himself about what’s going on in the world for later research.

    He’s definitely not noticing that some opinions are very controversial, or are being made by people who have been ‘cancelled’ or in trouble for controversial views in the past, and often confuses satire for reality and vice-versa. I guess it drives ‘engagement’ on the platform when he has 200m followers though, so it’s easy to see why he does it.

    Cable ‘news’ channel MSNBC is also up for sale in the US, and there’s plenty of suggestions that EM might be interested in buying that!
    That's following the Hungarian playbook of getting your mates to buy the opposition press and slowly change their viewpoint to favour you...
  • bigglesbiggles Posts: 6,198
    edited November 26
    I wonder if it ever occurs to Musk that if he has lived his life 10% differently, be would be universally loved. Wouldn’t need to have been some liberal icon, just 10% more empathic. Or just focused on the technology.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 72,173
    boulay said:

    An interesting story on the BBC about a Russian deserter, who was a member of their nuclear forces:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9dl2pv0yj0o

    In particular, the reason he deserted:
    "Shortly after the full-scale war began, Anton said he was given what he describes as a “criminal order” - to hold lectures with his troops using very specific written guidelines.

    “They said that Ukrainian civilians are combatants and should be destroyed!” he exclaims. “That’s a red line for me - it’s a war crime. I said I won’t spread this propaganda.”"

    He also said, contrary to a lot of hopecasting, that the Russian Nuclear weapons are in good order and not falling apart - no reason for him to make that up sadly.
    Also that the strategic forces were put on full alert on the first day of the invasion.
    Though as the U.S. didn't note any physical moves to increase the readiness of the missile forces, that claim needs to be treated with a pinch of salt.
  • biggles said:

    I wonder if it We’ve occurs to Musk that if he has lived his life 10% differently, be would be universally loved. Wouldn’t need to have been some liberal icon, just 10% more empathic.

    That realisation would require him to have the ten percent extra empathy.
  • state_go_awaystate_go_away Posts: 5,818
    boulay said:

    An interesting story on the BBC about a Russian deserter, who was a member of their nuclear forces:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9dl2pv0yj0o

    In particular, the reason he deserted:
    "Shortly after the full-scale war began, Anton said he was given what he describes as a “criminal order” - to hold lectures with his troops using very specific written guidelines.

    “They said that Ukrainian civilians are combatants and should be destroyed!” he exclaims. “That’s a red line for me - it’s a war crime. I said I won’t spread this propaganda.”"

    He also said, contrary to a lot of hopecasting, that the Russian Nuclear weapons are in good order and not falling apart - no reason for him to make that up sadly.
    yes its wishful thinking that all of their 1700 warheads they "deploy" are not going to work. Russia has to be treated with pragmatism and we need less of the slightly childish "we are morally right " , "they are wrong" kind of arguments when escalation matters arise
  • NEW THREAD

  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 11,422
    Sandpit said:

    Morning PB'ers.

    "Elon Musk backs calIs for election to remove "tyrannical" uk government"

    I see that the Telegraph is now fully committed to billionaire oligarchic rule over democratically elected rule.

    This was always it's underlying function, but it's now so far gone I
    wouldn't trust it not to become the leading propaganda outlet, in any Orbanisation of the U.K.

    The Telegraph is up for sale. Musk can buy it.

    Having said which, a lot of what Musk is doing is retweeting with the odd approving word or emoji. Whether he bothers to read and understand the originals is open to question. We have had plenty of our own cases where politicians are taken to task for "liking" a decade-old post which contained an unfortunate turn of phrase in paragraph three.
    Yes, and he’s doing it hundreds of times a day, as if he was making notes to himself about what’s going on in the world for later research.

    He’s definitely not noticing that some opinions are very controversial, or are being made by people who have been ‘cancelled’ or in trouble for controversial views in the past, and often confuses satire for reality and vice-versa. I guess it drives ‘engagement’ on the platform when he has 200m followers though, so it’s easy to see why he does it.

    Cable ‘news’ channel MSNBC is also up for sale in the US, and there’s plenty of suggestions that EM might be interested in buying that!
    Plenty of the people are in trouble for controversial views in the present.
  • bigglesbiggles Posts: 6,198

    boulay said:

    An interesting story on the BBC about a Russian deserter, who was a member of their nuclear forces:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9dl2pv0yj0o

    In particular, the reason he deserted:
    "Shortly after the full-scale war began, Anton said he was given what he describes as a “criminal order” - to hold lectures with his troops using very specific written guidelines.

    “They said that Ukrainian civilians are combatants and should be destroyed!” he exclaims. “That’s a red line for me - it’s a war crime. I said I won’t spread this propaganda.”"

    He also said, contrary to a lot of hopecasting, that the Russian Nuclear weapons are in good order and not falling apart - no reason for him to make that up sadly.
    yes its wishful thinking that all of their 1700 warheads they "deploy" are not going to work. Russia has to be treated with pragmatism and we need less of the slightly childish "we are morally right " , "they are wrong" kind of arguments when escalation matters arise
    It’s a balance. In the end, to avoid nuclear war, they do have to believe we would launch over the principle of freedom. And that means we probably have to believe it too.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 51,082
    rcs1000 said:

    Sandpit said:

    Morning PB'ers.

    "Elon Musk backs calIs for election to remove "tyrannical" uk government"

    I see that the Telegraph is now fully committed to billionaire oligarchic rule over democratically elected rule.

    This was always it's underlying function, but it's now so far gone I
    wouldn't trust it not to become the leading propaganda outlet, in any Orbanisation of the U.K.

    Watching Americans react to UK speech laws is quite interesting. It’s one of the biggest cultural differences between the two countries.
    Musky Baby really ought to come onto PB. He'd see how speech can be free - as it pretty much is here - and informative. Also often self-policed. And how an online community can be generally a pleasanter place than the cesspit he has turned Twitter into.
    Josias Jessop has been banned.
    I argued against Section 230 when it was created. Removing legal responsibility for publishing because of inconvenience seemed a poor argument.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 49,114
    edited November 26
    Sandpit said:

    Morning PB'ers.

    "Elon Musk backs calIs for election to remove "tyrannical" uk government"

    I see that the Telegraph is now fully committed to billionaire oligarchic rule over democratically elected rule.

    This was always it's underlying function, but it's now so far gone I
    wouldn't trust it not to become the leading propaganda outlet, in any Orbanisation of the U.K.

    The Telegraph is up for sale. Musk can buy it.

    Having said which, a lot of what Musk is doing is retweeting with the odd approving word or emoji. Whether he bothers to read and understand the originals is open to question. We have had plenty of our own cases where politicians are taken to task for "liking" a decade-old post which contained an unfortunate turn of phrase in paragraph three.
    Yes, and he’s doing it hundreds of times a day, as if he was making notes to himself about what’s going on in the world for later research.

    He’s definitely not noticing that some opinions are very controversial, or are being made by people who have been ‘cancelled’ or in trouble for controversial views in the past, and often confuses satire for reality and vice-versa. I guess it drives ‘engagement’ on the platform when he has 200m followers though, so it’s easy to see why he does it.

    Cable ‘news’ channel MSNBC is also up for sale in the US, and there’s plenty of suggestions that EM might be interested in buying that!
    Musk is incredibly busy on twitter, that great thief of time.


  • state_go_awaystate_go_away Posts: 5,818
    On Starmer's lack of a Christmas film , its about the only thing i have been mildly impressed by - not in particular that he has not got one (although I dont have either I think unless you count Oliver the musical) but that he did not pander to the over emotional zeitgeist of the question .
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 51,082
    rcs1000 said:

    Morning PB'ers.

    "Elon Musk backs calIs for election to remove "tyrannical" uk government"

    I see that the Telegraph is now fully committed to billionaire oligarchic rule over democratically elected rule.

    This was always it's underlying function, but it's now so far gone I
    wouldn't trust it not to become the leading propaganda outlet, in any Orbanisation of the U.K.

    Wait until he hears about the Russian government...

    Oh. Wait.
    {pause… crash}

    The Russian Government would like to extend its sympathies to PB on the loss of its moderator and suggests a small donation to the Russian People’s Fund For Prevention Of Window Accidents In Basements. Half your income and possessions would be appropriate.
  • DopermeanDopermean Posts: 620
    Nigelb said:

    Sandpit said:

    Foxy said:

    Sandpit said:

    Morning PB'ers.

    "Elon Musk backs calIs for election to remove "tyrannical" uk government"

    I see that the Telegraph is now fully committed to billionaire oligarchic rule over democratically elected rule.

    This was always it's underlying function, but it's now so far gone I
    wouldn't trust it not to become the leading propaganda outlet, in any Orbanisation of the U.K.

    Watching Americans react to UK speech laws is quite interesting. It’s one of the biggest cultural differences between the two countries.
    They are spectacularly misinformed. Yaxley-Lennon is not a free speech martyr. He is a serial criminal in prison for contempt of court, to which he pleaded guilty.
    Indeed so.

    Lots of Americans think he’s a journalist who’s been imprisoned for showing the output of his journalism, whereas in fact he’s been imprisoned for contempt of court, having been ordered to stop repeating a libel for which he’s already been found guilty.

    American courts wouldn’t throw you in prison, they’d simply bankrupt you (see Alex Jones / Infowars and Tucker Carlson / Fox News).
    If you continue in contempt of court, they certainly will.
    He's continually libelling innocent, relatively powerless people, who've been caught up in some social media storm in full knowledge that he's inciting his racist mob of followers who might burn down their house and worse.
    I think the USA have it wrong, Alex James, made the lives of grief-stricken parents a misery for personal gain. If it takes imprisonment to stop that behaviour then that's what should happen. They escalate road traffic fines to imprisonment daily FFS, their sense of justice is totally skewed.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 51,082
    Dopermean said:

    Nigelb said:

    Sandpit said:

    Foxy said:

    Sandpit said:

    Morning PB'ers.

    "Elon Musk backs calIs for election to remove "tyrannical" uk government"

    I see that the Telegraph is now fully committed to billionaire oligarchic rule over democratically elected rule.

    This was always it's underlying function, but it's now so far gone I
    wouldn't trust it not to become the leading propaganda outlet, in any Orbanisation of the U.K.

    Watching Americans react to UK speech laws is quite interesting. It’s one of the biggest cultural differences between the two countries.
    They are spectacularly misinformed. Yaxley-Lennon is not a free speech martyr. He is a serial criminal in prison for contempt of court, to which he pleaded guilty.
    Indeed so.

    Lots of Americans think he’s a journalist who’s been imprisoned for showing the output of his journalism, whereas in fact he’s been imprisoned for contempt of court, having been ordered to stop repeating a libel for which he’s already been found guilty.

    American courts wouldn’t throw you in prison, they’d simply bankrupt you (see Alex Jones / Infowars and Tucker Carlson / Fox News).
    If you continue in contempt of court, they certainly will.
    He's continually libelling innocent, relatively powerless people, who've been caught up in some social media storm in full knowledge that he's inciting his racist mob of followers who might burn down their house and worse.
    I think the USA have it wrong, Alex James, made the lives of grief-stricken parents a misery for personal gain. If it takes imprisonment to stop that behaviour then that's what should happen. They escalate road traffic fines to imprisonment daily FFS, their sense of justice is totally skewed.
    Incidentally, I fully expect that some of the Extinction Rebellion characters who are pursing the same legal strategy as Tommy Lots Of Names, will go full Piers Corbyn. And show, once again, that politics is a circle that meets in a cesspit.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 18,896
    p

    One term Labour government latest:


    Neil Henderson
    @hendopolis
    ·
    1h
    I: Public spending cuts on the way from 2026 #TomorrowsPapersToday

    https://x.com/hendopolis/status/1861168130321498433

    If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you.

    Increased taxes and increased borrowing on the way from 2026.

    Correction, increased taxes and increased borrowing continuing apace since 2002.
    What I don't know if why dig this hole. The people at the CBI aren't stupid, they have seen what the IFS have to say and but she decided to sit there and lie to them. And can now be used against her in a couple of years time.
    Because being in denial was the easy option.

    The Budget was horrendous. It jacked up taxes and increased borrowing. Far from closing a fiscal black hole, it dramatically increased it.

    The choice she has is:

    1: Admit future tax rises now.
    2: Admit future borrowing rises now.
    3: Admit future spending cuts now.
    4: Change policies now so they don't need to happen.
    5: Be in denial and hope something comes that saves the day so its not necessary.

    She's chosen the last option.
    And yet, on top of that, the budget still includes the fiction that fuel duty will rise, with the end of the "temporary" 5p cut and inflationary increases. Politically an increase in fuel duty is a hard sell, and it doesn't help to provide any extra money for public services or to reduce borrowing because it's in the plan already.

    So the planning for the next budget will be looking for £bns to delay the fuel duty increases again and further £bns to prevent public spending cuts.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 18,896
    MikeL said:

    If you're in pain and dying that's a pretty bad position to be in.

    The idea that to then make it even worse by other people's views as to what's best for you prevailing over your own views is what is really repugnant.

    Lord Falconer is absolutely right - the people objecting are doing so for religious / moral reasons. If they were genuinely concerned about the details of the safeguards then they would say how they think the safeguards can be improved. But they aren't doing that.

    Imposing religious views on everyone is what happens in a theocracy - eg in Iran and Afghanistan.

    The overwhelming majority of people in this country do not want our laws determined by other people's religious beliefs - hence the huge public support for assisted dying.

    If you are religious and against assisted dying then that's absolutely fine - don't have one. But don't tell everyone else what to do.

    What is repugnant is telling me that I hold my views because I'm religious when this is not the case. You are trying to silence me by pretending that I don't exist.

    I can see that it's easier for you to dismiss any opposition on the basis that it's solely motivated by belief in a sky fairy, but that's a pretty shaky ground for such a large and consequential change in the law.

    Making your argument in the way that you have makes it so much harder to find common ground. You have insulted me. I am now defensive. Why would I listen to any other words you say?
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 43,495
    HYUFD said:

    https://x.com/atrupar/status/1861195231825191014

    Trump announces blanket tariffs on goods imported from Canada, Mexico, and China

    And so the global trade war of 2025 begins
    Focus their minds on stopping the illegal drug smuggling
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 43,495
    rcs1000 said:

    Sandpit said:

    Morning PB'ers.

    "Elon Musk backs calIs for election to remove "tyrannical" uk government"

    I see that the Telegraph is now fully committed to billionaire oligarchic rule over democratically elected rule.

    This was always it's underlying function, but it's now so far gone I
    wouldn't trust it not to become the leading propaganda outlet, in any Orbanisation of the U.K.

    Watching Americans react to UK speech laws is quite interesting. It’s one of the biggest cultural differences between the two countries.
    Musky Baby really ought to come onto PB. He'd see how speech can be free - as it pretty much is here - and informative. Also often self-policed. And how an online community can be generally a pleasanter place than the cesspit he has turned Twitter into.
    Josias Jessop has been banned.
    About time
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 43,495

    boulay said:

    An interesting story on the BBC about a Russian deserter, who was a member of their nuclear forces:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9dl2pv0yj0o

    In particular, the reason he deserted:
    "Shortly after the full-scale war began, Anton said he was given what he describes as a “criminal order” - to hold lectures with his troops using very specific written guidelines.

    “They said that Ukrainian civilians are combatants and should be destroyed!” he exclaims. “That’s a red line for me - it’s a war crime. I said I won’t spread this propaganda.”"

    He also said, contrary to a lot of hopecasting, that the Russian Nuclear weapons are in good order and not falling apart - no reason for him to make that up sadly.
    yes its wishful thinking that all of their 1700 warheads they "deploy" are not going to work. Russia has to be treated with pragmatism and we need less of the slightly childish "we are morally right " , "they are wrong" kind of arguments when escalation matters arise
    They need a good doing.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 13,645
    malcolmg said:

    boulay said:

    An interesting story on the BBC about a Russian deserter, who was a member of their nuclear forces:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9dl2pv0yj0o

    In particular, the reason he deserted:
    "Shortly after the full-scale war began, Anton said he was given what he describes as a “criminal order” - to hold lectures with his troops using very specific written guidelines.

    “They said that Ukrainian civilians are combatants and should be destroyed!” he exclaims. “That’s a red line for me - it’s a war crime. I said I won’t spread this propaganda.”"

    He also said, contrary to a lot of hopecasting, that the Russian Nuclear weapons are in good order and not falling apart - no reason for him to make that up sadly.
    yes its wishful thinking that all of their 1700 warheads they "deploy" are not going to work. Russia has to be treated with pragmatism and we need less of the slightly childish "we are morally right " , "they are wrong" kind of arguments when escalation matters arise
    They need a good doing.
    Just about every post confirms, you’d make absolutely splendid UK Ambassador to USA.
This discussion has been closed.