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Death by a thousand cuts? – politicalbetting.com

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  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 53,587
    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    That’s nativism.
  • DavidL said:

    Absolute idiots, they deserve this.

    The British couple detained in Iran have been charged with espionage, according to the Iranian judiciary news agency.

    https://news.sky.com/story/british-couple-detained-in-iran-charged-with-espionage-13311789

    With a cover story that they were driving a motorbike from Armenia through Iran to Pakistan the accusation is hardly surprising. Who’d believe that?
    Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott?
  • Daveyboy1961Daveyboy1961 Posts: 4,160
    Andy_JS said:

    TimS said:

    MattW said:

    kamski said:

    I do wonder with the likes of local Post Offices whether there is an obvious business to go and chase. The indentured slave society (DPD, Amazon etc) is unsustainable on so many levels. What makes it worse is that so many of these delivery firms are terrible at last mile delivery.

    I'd be far happier with collecting my Amazon package from my local post office than having to wait around for Evri to hoy it over the gate or lie about me being out or it being delivered to the right door number in the wrong village.

    Won't help WHSmith, but may be something that can be done to reinvent the Post Office.

    Isn't it time to stop using Amazon? Why send money to your enemies?
    One thing I have not seen noted yet is the use of the technical infra as a weapon.

    How do we cope if the Trump regime make the tech oligarch's turn it off to apply pressure.

    What happens if the known bootlickers turn off Facebook, Amazon, Google and other relevant services in Europe - even if only for a short period or just the apps? Twitter we could cope without.
    If they turn off social media then maybe there'd be chance the whole of europe doesn't end up voting to become a series of neo-nazi states.
    The thing is, I’d certainly be happier if there were no social media. My children too.

    Impossible to uninvent what’s already here though.

    The one exception from my perspective: WhatsApp.
    It isn't compulsory to use social media just because it exists.
    Like Heroin or cocaine?
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 43,911
    rkrkrk said:

    Pulpstar said:

    DOGE is starting to post the receipts

    https://doge.gov/savings

    If Cooper and others are serious about savings, they need to be prepared to send people into Whitehall who are not afraid to make enemies there, and not afraid to break hobby horses.

    At this point, you should assume everything they say is a lie unless there's independent corroboration.
    There's probably a statistical calculation you could do, but given that most people don't generally lie, and they have been caught repeatedly, I think we are well past the point of no belief.
    Is there going to be any verification of the numbers outside TrumpWorld?
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,384
    File under unhelpful...

    https://news.sky.com/story/englands-top-judge-condemns-starmer-and-badenoch-comments-on-gaza-family-coming-to-uk-on-ukraine-scheme-13311847?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

    England's most senior judge says she is "deeply troubled" by Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch's exchange about a Gazan family coming to the UK under the Ukraine scheme.

    Baroness Carr said on Tuesday: "Both question and the answer were unacceptable.

    "It is for the government visibly to respect and protect the independence of the judiciary.

    "Where parties, including the government, disagree with their findings, they should do so through the appellate process."
  • glwglw Posts: 10,169
    edited February 18
    IanB2 said:

    biggles said:

    “We don’t want Europe or Ukraine in the room, but we will discuss bits of Ukraine’s membership of the EU”.

    Piss off Marco/Sergei.

    If America were a relative, you'd look to have it sectioned.
    The long view question is whether, after Trump, we get Vance or worse, or whether Americans return to their historical path and elect somebody sane. Right now I haven’t a clue which way it will go.
    Even if Trump is the last of his ilk nobody will trust the US for at least a generation. They elected a dangerous lunatic twice, so it wasn't an aberration. The damage done to America's reputation is already enormous, and they haven't even begun invading Greenland or Canada yet.
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,619

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    That’s nativism.
    Maybe unlike others, I welcome immigrants who have something to offer and are committed to our country. Sometimes mistakes are made however. It looks like Konstantin Kison is one of them.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,683
    Andy_JS said:

    Andy_JS said:

    You've got to love the Left.

    All criticism of Rayner is just because she's a feisty northern working class woman.

    All criticism of Reeves is because she's a woman who went to a state-school and did ok and was mocked at the time.

    At no point whatsoever can their competence or capability be in question. It's all prejudice.

    It explains their fundamental chippiness. Because prejudice and identity-based grievance is all they have.

    Its hard to deny that prejudice isn't present. Tories don't like gobby northerners of any kind - especially the odd one who navigates through their own ranks. And Reeves? They wouldn't have attacked a male chancellor as "from accounts" no matter how shit they were.

    I don't rate either of them that highly. But you can't deny the sneering that is done towards them for who they are, not what they do.
    Wasn't Mrs T a gobby northerner?
    No, she was a Midlander.
    It would be interesting to go to Grantham and ask people whether they regard themselves more as Midlanders or Northerners.
    They are southerners.
  • sarissasarissa Posts: 2,056

    kamski said:

    kamski said:

    A project for sending people to Mars has got to be a bigger waste of money than everything else put together. Still tempting to give Musk a one-way ticket so we can watch him trying to grow potatoes in his own excrement.

    Why is it a waste of money?

    Given that Mars Sample Return has passed 19 Billion, it might even be cheaper!

    One of the reasons that MSR is disaster already, is the bizarre attempts to shoehorn larger and larger return rockets into a very limited package.
    how does sending people to Mars get the 19 billion back?

    Maybe transportation to Mars should be our new penal colony system.
    Elon will turn it into a penile colony :lol:
    Do such things grow better in lower gravity? Asking for a friend.
  • FossFoss Posts: 1,237
    sarissa said:

    kamski said:

    kamski said:

    A project for sending people to Mars has got to be a bigger waste of money than everything else put together. Still tempting to give Musk a one-way ticket so we can watch him trying to grow potatoes in his own excrement.

    Why is it a waste of money?

    Given that Mars Sample Return has passed 19 Billion, it might even be cheaper!

    One of the reasons that MSR is disaster already, is the bizarre attempts to shoehorn larger and larger return rockets into a very limited package.
    how does sending people to Mars get the 19 billion back?

    Maybe transportation to Mars should be our new penal colony system.
    Elon will turn it into a penile colony :lol:
    Do such things grow better in lower gravity? Asking for a friend.
    Astronaut muscle wastage studies suggest not.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 53,587
    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    That’s nativism.
    Maybe unlike others, I welcome immigrants who have something to offer and are committed to our country. Sometimes mistakes are made however. It looks like Konstantin Kison is one of them.
    He seems to have something to offer and I would assume he is a net contributor fiscally. Should we exclude people on the basis of their views?
  • I do wonder with the likes of local Post Offices whether there is an obvious business to go and chase. The indentured slave society (DPD, Amazon etc) is unsustainable on so many levels. What makes it worse is that so many of these delivery firms are terrible at last mile delivery.

    I'd be far happier with collecting my Amazon package from my local post office than having to wait around for Evri to hoy it over the gate or lie about me being out or it being delivered to the right door number in the wrong village.

    Won't help WHSmith, but may be something that can be done to reinvent the Post Office.

    There are all sorts of shops, including the subpostoffice just up the road, that take Amazon deliveries. Look around next time you are on Amazon's checkout page. Same on Ebay.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 50,502
    dixiedean said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Andy_JS said:

    You've got to love the Left.

    All criticism of Rayner is just because she's a feisty northern working class woman.

    All criticism of Reeves is because she's a woman who went to a state-school and did ok and was mocked at the time.

    At no point whatsoever can their competence or capability be in question. It's all prejudice.

    It explains their fundamental chippiness. Because prejudice and identity-based grievance is all they have.

    Its hard to deny that prejudice isn't present. Tories don't like gobby northerners of any kind - especially the odd one who navigates through their own ranks. And Reeves? They wouldn't have attacked a male chancellor as "from accounts" no matter how shit they were.

    I don't rate either of them that highly. But you can't deny the sneering that is done towards them for who they are, not what they do.
    Wasn't Mrs T a gobby northerner?
    No, she was a Midlander.
    It would be interesting to go to Grantham and ask people whether they regard themselves more as Midlanders or Northerners.
    They are southerners.
    But we don’t want them.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,091
    TimS said:

    Stocky said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    For context listen to the whole interview (it is over an hour). Part of it is concerned with differing opinions on this topic, and they toss ideas around. If a English couple move to Japan and have a child is their child Japanese? For that matter, if an English couple moved to Scotland and had a child is the child Scottish? Not everyone will agree on this.
    Nuanced identity is one of the casualties of this era’s absolutism.

    Not long ago we were able to accept that identity is complicated, that it’s possible to be and feel multiple things at the same time. Now politics wants people to choose.

    The cockney accented, bi or trilingual children at our local school with two parents who might be a German father and French mother, or a Bulgarian mother and Black British father, are living examples of how reductive these sorts of arguments become.
    Its interesting to see other's identities. I knew a guy who was passionately Welsh for rugby but English for football. Never understood that. A guy I met in NZ was born in the UK but moved as a young child - he had no English feeling at all - all NZ.
    You see when India, Pakistan, the WI etc tour England how many of the British born (to immigrant families) support the touring side - its part of their heritage and identity and most seemingly cheer for England against everyone else (in a twist on the celtic fringe who cheer x nation and anyone playing England!).
    People will have complex identity. Its easy for me - my parents families go back generations in Wiltshire, so I have no conflict, no trace of 'other' (at least without a hokey genealogy DNA test).
    Where there are challenges is around cultural identity, notably so when new arrivals have very different cultural norms. You hear tell of very upper middle class white collar immigrants fitting smoothly in, mostly because they are sharing lifestyles and values. The bigger challenges are cultures that do not agree with out currently accepted norms and values, such as certain strands of Islam and women's rights.

    But yes - there is no need for absolutism in any of this.
  • kamskikamski Posts: 5,816
    Andy_JS said:

    Andy_JS said:

    You've got to love the Left.

    All criticism of Rayner is just because she's a feisty northern working class woman.

    All criticism of Reeves is because she's a woman who went to a state-school and did ok and was mocked at the time.

    At no point whatsoever can their competence or capability be in question. It's all prejudice.

    It explains their fundamental chippiness. Because prejudice and identity-based grievance is all they have.

    Its hard to deny that prejudice isn't present. Tories don't like gobby northerners of any kind - especially the odd one who navigates through their own ranks. And Reeves? They wouldn't have attacked a male chancellor as "from accounts" no matter how shit they were.

    I don't rate either of them that highly. But you can't deny the sneering that is done towards them for who they are, not what they do.
    Wasn't Mrs T a gobby northerner?
    No, she was a Midlander.
    It would be interesting to go to Grantham and ask people whether they regard themselves more as Midlanders or Northerners.
    I'm from the East Midlands, and I never thought of any part of Lincolnshire as being properly East Midlands, but the people of Grantham surely think of themselves as Midlands rather than North. I mean how can it be North? It's further south than Nottingham
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,619
    edited February 18

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    That’s nativism.
    Maybe unlike others, I welcome immigrants who have something to offer and are committed to our country. Sometimes mistakes are made however. It looks like Konstantin Kison is one of them.
    He seems to have something to offer and I would assume he is a net contributor fiscally. Should we exclude people on the basis of their views?
    Absolutely exclude people on the basis of their views. What else would you exclude immigrants on?

    And I don't count as "something to offer" going round saying someone who is brown skin and the "wrong" religion doesn't deserve their born nationality
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,091

    Cornwall Insight final prediction is for a 5% increase in energy costs come April - £85 increase on average.

    Follows a 10% in October and 1.2% in January.

    Inflation. That £300 reduction remains a distant memory, a promise from another age.

    Net zero doesn't come cheap.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 53,569
    dixiedean said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Andy_JS said:

    You've got to love the Left.

    All criticism of Rayner is just because she's a feisty northern working class woman.

    All criticism of Reeves is because she's a woman who went to a state-school and did ok and was mocked at the time.

    At no point whatsoever can their competence or capability be in question. It's all prejudice.

    It explains their fundamental chippiness. Because prejudice and identity-based grievance is all they have.

    Its hard to deny that prejudice isn't present. Tories don't like gobby northerners of any kind - especially the odd one who navigates through their own ranks. And Reeves? They wouldn't have attacked a male chancellor as "from accounts" no matter how shit they were.

    I don't rate either of them that highly. But you can't deny the sneering that is done towards them for who they are, not what they do.
    Wasn't Mrs T a gobby northerner?
    No, she was a Midlander.
    It would be interesting to go to Grantham and ask people whether they regard themselves more as Midlanders or Northerners.
    They are southerners.
    I'd say they are the western edge of the east.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,091
    boulay said:

    carnforth said:

    Absolute idiots, they deserve this.

    The British couple detained in Iran have been charged with espionage, according to the Iranian judiciary news agency.

    https://news.sky.com/story/british-couple-detained-in-iran-charged-with-espionage-13311789

    Didn't we pay Iran that $400m for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe? What do they want now?
    They saw the amount we are giving Mauritius and thought as we are in a generous mood and have endless cash at the moment they would go for it.
    I have some sympathy for these two but frankly I would not have put myself in that country in the first place. What were they thinking?
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 5,237
    tlg86 said:

    File under unhelpful...

    https://news.sky.com/story/englands-top-judge-condemns-starmer-and-badenoch-comments-on-gaza-family-coming-to-uk-on-ukraine-scheme-13311847?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

    England's most senior judge says she is "deeply troubled" by Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch's exchange about a Gazan family coming to the UK under the Ukraine scheme.

    Baroness Carr said on Tuesday: "Both question and the answer were unacceptable.

    "It is for the government visibly to respect and protect the independence of the judiciary.

    "Where parties, including the government, disagree with their findings, they should do so through the appellate process."

    They get to change the law you follow, Baroness. Which involves criticising it.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,091

    Jonathan said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Andy_JS said:

    You've got to love the Left.

    All criticism of Rayner is just because she's a feisty northern working class woman.

    All criticism of Reeves is because she's a woman who went to a state-school and did ok and was mocked at the time.

    At no point whatsoever can their competence or capability be in question. It's all prejudice.

    It explains their fundamental chippiness. Because prejudice and identity-based grievance is all they have.

    Its hard to deny that prejudice isn't present. Tories don't like gobby northerners of any kind - especially the odd one who navigates through their own ranks. And Reeves? They wouldn't have attacked a male chancellor as "from accounts" no matter how shit they were.

    I don't rate either of them that highly. But you can't deny the sneering that is done towards them for who they are, not what they do.
    Wasn't Mrs T a gobby northerner?
    No, she was a Midlander.
    It would be interesting to go to Grantham and ask people whether they regard themselves more as Midlanders or Northerners.
    The North begins in Chesterfield IMHO.
    The M4 surely.
    Watford gap?
    Wife is from Portsmouth way. Regards anything past the M27 as the north.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 53,569
    tlg86 said:

    File under unhelpful...

    https://news.sky.com/story/englands-top-judge-condemns-starmer-and-badenoch-comments-on-gaza-family-coming-to-uk-on-ukraine-scheme-13311847?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

    England's most senior judge says she is "deeply troubled" by Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch's exchange about a Gazan family coming to the UK under the Ukraine scheme.

    Baroness Carr said on Tuesday: "Both question and the answer were unacceptable.

    "It is for the government visibly to respect and protect the independence of the judiciary.

    "Where parties, including the government, disagree with their findings, they should do so through the appellate process."

    That's worth a couple of points to Reform.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,091
    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    Wellington's views on being born in a stable appeal to some.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,091

    DavidL said:

    Absolute idiots, they deserve this.

    The British couple detained in Iran have been charged with espionage, according to the Iranian judiciary news agency.

    https://news.sky.com/story/british-couple-detained-in-iran-charged-with-espionage-13311789

    With a cover story that they were driving a motorbike from Armenia through Iran to Pakistan the accusation is hardly surprising. Who’d believe that?
    It's a reasonably recognised part of off-grid motorbiking though not partaken of by many obviously. Perhaps not wise in the current climate though.
    They were bonkers to do it.
  • kamskikamski Posts: 5,816
    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    Just worth remembering next time some prat like Leon quotes Kisin as some great intellectual.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 74,117
    Taiwan is exploring a $7-10 billion dollar package deal for U.S. weapons.

    From what I’ve gathered + the Reuters report, these deal MIGHT include:

    HIMARS rockets
    E2-D early warning aircraft
    PAC-2/3 missiles
    Coastal defense cruise missiles

    Nothing is confirmed yet, this is all speculative.

    https://x.com/JaimeOcon1/status/1891640723738591463

  • sarissasarissa Posts: 2,056
    DavidL said:

    Absolute idiots, they deserve this.

    The British couple detained in Iran have been charged with espionage, according to the Iranian judiciary news agency.

    https://news.sky.com/story/british-couple-detained-in-iran-charged-with-espionage-13311789

    With a cover story that they were driving a motorbike from Armenia through Iran to Pakistan the accusation is hardly surprising. Who’d believe that?
    Mark Beaumont, 2008
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 33,641
    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    I've always thought of Konstantin as British even though he was born in Russia. Surprised he said this.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 13,431
    DavidL said:

    Absolute idiots, they deserve this.

    The British couple detained in Iran have been charged with espionage, according to the Iranian judiciary news agency.

    https://news.sky.com/story/british-couple-detained-in-iran-charged-with-espionage-13311789

    With a cover story that they were driving a motorbike from Armenia through Iran to Pakistan the accusation is hardly surprising. Who’d believe that?
    No idea what the total facts are of course, but they were in Iran lawfully, with a visa, and even I, who live a sheltered existence, know people who would give their eye teeth for the opportunity to travel from Armenia to Pakistan through Iran by any possible means, including my daughter who used to live in Isfahan less than 20 years ago and neither was nor is a spy.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 50,502
    edited February 18
    glw said:

    IanB2 said:

    biggles said:

    “We don’t want Europe or Ukraine in the room, but we will discuss bits of Ukraine’s membership of the EU”.

    Piss off Marco/Sergei.

    If America were a relative, you'd look to have it sectioned.
    The long view question is whether, after Trump, we get Vance or worse, or whether Americans return to their historical path and elect somebody sane. Right now I haven’t a clue which way it will go.
    Even if Trump is the last of his ilk nobody will trust the US for at least a generation. They elected a dangerous lunatic twice, so it wasn't an aberration. The damage done to America's reputation is already enormous, and they haven't even begun invading Greenland or Canada yet.
    For sure, the US is burning all its bridges and assuming it doesn’t need any allies for anything, ever. But the big question as to whether the US doubles down, or tries to return to the straight and narrow, after Trump, remains.

    Right now, the US appears to be pitching for the position of global policeman at just the time when its global dominance appears to be coming to an end. In a multi-polar world, the US will need allies, and Russia doesn’t appear to be the most sensible choice?
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 10,358
    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    That’s nativism.
    Maybe unlike others, I welcome immigrants who have something to offer and are committed to our country. Sometimes mistakes are made however. It looks like Konstantin Kison is one of them.
    He seems to have something to offer and I would assume he is a net contributor fiscally. Should we exclude people on the basis of their views?
    Absolutely exclude people on the basis of their views. What else would you exclude immigrants on?

    And I don't count as "something to offer" going round saying someone who is brown skin and the "wrong" religion doesn't deserve their born nationality
    So would you support banning devout fundamentalist christians on the grounds they have mysogynist views
  • FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    Wellington's views on being born in a stable appeal to some.
    If someone is born in a stable in England, they are English.
  • Why did Konstantin Kisin use the word "brown"? Bloody racist!
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 43,911
    TimS said:


    kinabalu said:

    TimS said:

    MattW said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    Rubio and Lavrov are sitting across a rather large table in Riyadh.

    https://x.com/sentdefender/status/1891756275668504761

    Since you’re an assiduous supporter of Ukraine defending itself against Putin, do you think this is a good or a bad thing?
    I think that there has to be a starting point to talks aimed at ending the war.

    I don’t think the Russians have any intention of ending the war though, they’re too far down the rabbit hole for what they’ve actually achieved.

    We’ll know soon from Rubio whether there’s anything that looks like good faith from Lavrov, and then Ukraine and European countries need to clearly and effectively state their case. Kellogg (and to some extent JD Vance) will have got the message loud and clear from the Europeans in the last few days, that the US alone aren’t going to be able to do a deal.

    I suspect we are in for several weeks of sherpas running around and political proclamations from all involved, to be followed by an outline of what all sides might consider to be an acceptable outcome to the conflict.
    That perhaps sets the timescale for a substantive and substantial initial response to emerge from Europe.

    These talks won't end the war - they will just be for half time and oranges, until Putin is ready for the second half.

    The points need to be switched on the railway track to the stitch-up which Trump and Putin are attempting to impose, in some way. The further along it is, the more difficult the direction will be to change.

    Zelensky will have to take the best of the options he is offered, even if it means there will be a renewal of the assault by Russia in 2, 4 or 6 years.
    Presumably one option Zelenskyy can take is to simply say no to whatever deal Trump and Putin offer. The US will then withdraw support, but they're probably going to do that anyway.
    Calling Trump’s bluff feels like the most viable strategy now. Cut the US out of investment and trade opportunities too.
    Yep. What we don't want is everybody flapping around trying to give him "wins" to ward off his threats. If bullying is seen to pay off you'll get more of it.
    On the Russia detente I’m alternating between seeing the US as naive or complicit. Perhaps they are both, like Stalin in 1939.

    The latest leaks from the Trump team are that the parties will agree a deal involving 1. Ceasefire, 2. Ukrainian elections, 3. Final signing.

    You can guess what goodies Russia has planned for those elections. As I’m sure can the US. So I’m erring on the side of complicit, not naive.
    I'd say they simply don't care, so long as Trump gets to sign something with Putin that he can present as "stopping the war".

    Oh dear, Ukrainian elections on the critical path to a deal? That's to Russia with love.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 13,431
    carnforth said:

    tlg86 said:

    File under unhelpful...

    https://news.sky.com/story/englands-top-judge-condemns-starmer-and-badenoch-comments-on-gaza-family-coming-to-uk-on-ukraine-scheme-13311847?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

    England's most senior judge says she is "deeply troubled" by Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch's exchange about a Gazan family coming to the UK under the Ukraine scheme.

    Baroness Carr said on Tuesday: "Both question and the answer were unacceptable.

    "It is for the government visibly to respect and protect the independence of the judiciary.

    "Where parties, including the government, disagree with their findings, they should do so through the appellate process."

    They get to change the law you follow, Baroness. Which involves criticising it.
    That is unfair on the judiciary. Parliament is playing the man not the ball. Judges apply the law as it stands, and everything they do can be appealed by the government or any party. Government and parliament have a special position and therefore special responsibilities. If they don't like their own laws they can change them. Judges and the general public can't.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,021
    tlg86 said:

    File under unhelpful...

    https://news.sky.com/story/englands-top-judge-condemns-starmer-and-badenoch-comments-on-gaza-family-coming-to-uk-on-ukraine-scheme-13311847?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

    England's most senior judge says she is "deeply troubled" by Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch's exchange about a Gazan family coming to the UK under the Ukraine scheme.

    Baroness Carr said on Tuesday: "Both question and the answer were unacceptable.

    "It is for the government visibly to respect and protect the independence of the judiciary.

    "Where parties, including the government, disagree with their findings, they should do so through the appellate process."

    What exactly is that ruling?

    My wife is not eligible for the Ukraine scheme, despite being Ukranian, because she wasn’t resident there at the start of the war.
  • Pagan2 said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    That’s nativism.
    Maybe unlike others, I welcome immigrants who have something to offer and are committed to our country. Sometimes mistakes are made however. It looks like Konstantin Kison is one of them.
    He seems to have something to offer and I would assume he is a net contributor fiscally. Should we exclude people on the basis of their views?
    Absolutely exclude people on the basis of their views. What else would you exclude immigrants on?

    And I don't count as "something to offer" going round saying someone who is brown skin and the "wrong" religion doesn't deserve their born nationality
    So would you support banning devout fundamentalist christians on the grounds they have mysogynist views
    I would exile all smokers, cyclists and dog-owners to Rwanda Gaza! :lol:
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 53,569

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    Wellington's views on being born in a stable appeal to some.
    If someone is born in a stable in England, they are English.
    If someone is born in a stable in Bethlehem, they are...?
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 10,358

    Pagan2 said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    That’s nativism.
    Maybe unlike others, I welcome immigrants who have something to offer and are committed to our country. Sometimes mistakes are made however. It looks like Konstantin Kison is one of them.
    He seems to have something to offer and I would assume he is a net contributor fiscally. Should we exclude people on the basis of their views?
    Absolutely exclude people on the basis of their views. What else would you exclude immigrants on?

    And I don't count as "something to offer" going round saying someone who is brown skin and the "wrong" religion doesn't deserve their born nationality
    So would you support banning devout fundamentalist christians on the grounds they have mysogynist views
    I would exile all smokers, cyclists and dog-owners to Rwanda Gaza! :lol:
    Gaza is too good for cyclists
  • FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    Wellington's views on being born in a stable appeal to some.
    If someone is born in a stable in England, they are English.
    If someone is born in a stable in Bethlehem, they are...?
    Bethlehem, along with neighbouring Jerusalem, was originally intended by the UN to be a "Corpus Separatum", ie. neutral territory.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_separatum_(Jerusalem)
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,619
    Pagan2 said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    That’s nativism.
    Maybe unlike others, I welcome immigrants who have something to offer and are committed to our country. Sometimes mistakes are made however. It looks like Konstantin Kison is one of them.
    He seems to have something to offer and I would assume he is a net contributor fiscally. Should we exclude people on the basis of their views?
    Absolutely exclude people on the basis of their views. What else would you exclude immigrants on?

    And I don't count as "something to offer" going round saying someone who is brown skin and the "wrong" religion doesn't deserve their born nationality
    So would you support banning devout fundamentalist christians on the grounds they have mysogynist views
    It depends. If they are happy to contribute to a tolerant, essentially secular society I would welcome them and not care what their private thoughts are.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,021

    TimS said:

    Stocky said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    For context listen to the whole interview (it is over an hour). Part of it is concerned with differing opinions on this topic, and they toss ideas around. If a English couple move to Japan and have a child is their child Japanese? For that matter, if an English couple moved to Scotland and had a child is the child Scottish? Not everyone will agree on this.
    Nuanced identity is one of the casualties of this era’s absolutism.

    Not long ago we were able to accept that identity is complicated, that it’s possible to be and feel multiple things at the same time. Now politics wants people to choose.

    The cockney accented, bi or trilingual children at our local school with two parents who might be a German father and French mother, or a Bulgarian mother and Black British father, are living examples of how reductive these sorts of arguments become.
    Its interesting to see other's identities. I knew a guy who was passionately Welsh for rugby but English for football. Never understood that. A guy I met in NZ was born in the UK but moved as a young child - he had no English feeling at all - all NZ.
    You see when India, Pakistan, the WI etc tour England how many of the British born (to immigrant families) support the touring side - its part of their heritage and identity and most seemingly cheer for England against everyone else (in a twist on the celtic fringe who cheer x nation and anyone playing England!).
    People will have complex identity. Its easy for me - my parents families go back generations in Wiltshire, so I have no conflict, no trace of 'other' (at least without a hokey genealogy DNA test).
    Where there are challenges is around cultural identity, notably so when new arrivals have very different cultural norms. You hear tell of very upper middle class white collar immigrants fitting smoothly in, mostly because they are sharing lifestyles and values. The bigger challenges are cultures that do not agree with out currently accepted norms and values, such as certain strands of Islam and women's rights.

    But yes - there is no need for absolutism in any of this.
    It it indeed complex. My two nephews were born in Dubai of British parents. They are never going to be Emirati, even if they marry a local girl, although they might cheer for UAE vs Bahrain or Qatar at football.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 53,569
    Nigelb said:

    Taiwan is exploring a $7-10 billion dollar package deal for U.S. weapons.

    From what I’ve gathered + the Reuters report, these deal MIGHT include:

    HIMARS rockets
    E2-D early warning aircraft
    PAC-2/3 missiles
    Coastal defense cruise missiles

    Nothing is confirmed yet, this is all speculative.

    https://x.com/JaimeOcon1/status/1891640723738591463

    They should spend $5 billion on Ukrainian drone technology. That sea crossing to Taiwan is going to be fraught with the water boiling with Sea Babies...
  • PJHPJH Posts: 746

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    Wellington's views on being born in a stable appeal to some.
    If someone is born in a stable in England, they are English.
    If someone is born in a stable in Bethlehem, they are...?

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    Wellington's views on being born in a stable appeal to some.
    If someone is born in a stable in England, they are English.
    If someone is born in a stable in Bethlehem, they are...?
    Judean?
  • Jim_MillerJim_Miller Posts: 3,173
    Off topic: Conservative cartoonist Michael Ramirez has kept his principles:
    https://www.gocomics.com/michaelramirez/2025/02/18

    (His "RINO" cartoon is one of the best done on the Loser.
    https://www.investors.com/politics/commentary/michael-ramirez-31116/ )
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 10,358
    FF43 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    That’s nativism.
    Maybe unlike others, I welcome immigrants who have something to offer and are committed to our country. Sometimes mistakes are made however. It looks like Konstantin Kison is one of them.
    He seems to have something to offer and I would assume he is a net contributor fiscally. Should we exclude people on the basis of their views?
    Absolutely exclude people on the basis of their views. What else would you exclude immigrants on?

    And I don't count as "something to offer" going round saying someone who is brown skin and the "wrong" religion doesn't deserve their born nationality
    So would you support banning devout fundamentalist christians on the grounds they have mysogynist views
    It depends. If they are happy to contribute to a tolerant, essentially secular society I would welcome them and not care what their private thoughts are.
    How is that consistent with your statement that people should be excluded on the basis of their views
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 53,569

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    Wellington's views on being born in a stable appeal to some.
    If someone is born in a stable in England, they are English.
    If someone is born in a stable in Bethlehem, they are...?
    Bethlehem, along with neighbouring Jerusalem, was originally intended by the UN to be a "Corpus Separatum", ie. neutral territory.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_separatum_(Jerusalem)
    Corpus Separatist splitter!
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 12,732
    Sandpit said:

    tlg86 said:

    File under unhelpful...

    https://news.sky.com/story/englands-top-judge-condemns-starmer-and-badenoch-comments-on-gaza-family-coming-to-uk-on-ukraine-scheme-13311847?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

    England's most senior judge says she is "deeply troubled" by Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch's exchange about a Gazan family coming to the UK under the Ukraine scheme.

    Baroness Carr said on Tuesday: "Both question and the answer were unacceptable.

    "It is for the government visibly to respect and protect the independence of the judiciary.

    "Where parties, including the government, disagree with their findings, they should do so through the appellate process."

    What exactly is that ruling?

    My wife is not eligible for the Ukraine scheme, despite being Ukranian, because she wasn’t resident there at the start of the war.
    Sky have a write-up at https://news.sky.com/story/what-is-the-loophole-that-allowed-a-family-in-gaza-permission-to-come-to-uk-on-a-ukraine-resettlement-scheme-13308009 that goes into some detail.
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 5,237
    algarkirk said:

    carnforth said:

    tlg86 said:

    File under unhelpful...

    https://news.sky.com/story/englands-top-judge-condemns-starmer-and-badenoch-comments-on-gaza-family-coming-to-uk-on-ukraine-scheme-13311847?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

    England's most senior judge says she is "deeply troubled" by Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch's exchange about a Gazan family coming to the UK under the Ukraine scheme.

    Baroness Carr said on Tuesday: "Both question and the answer were unacceptable.

    "It is for the government visibly to respect and protect the independence of the judiciary.

    "Where parties, including the government, disagree with their findings, they should do so through the appellate process."

    They get to change the law you follow, Baroness. Which involves criticising it.
    That is unfair on the judiciary. Parliament is playing the man not the ball. Judges apply the law as it stands, and everything they do can be appealed by the government or any party. Government and parliament have a special position and therefore special responsibilities. If they don't like their own laws they can change them. Judges and the general public can't.
    You would prefer politicians to wait until all appeals are exhausted - potentially years - to pass comment? I wouldn't be so strict.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,384
    Sandpit said:

    tlg86 said:

    File under unhelpful...

    https://news.sky.com/story/englands-top-judge-condemns-starmer-and-badenoch-comments-on-gaza-family-coming-to-uk-on-ukraine-scheme-13311847?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

    England's most senior judge says she is "deeply troubled" by Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch's exchange about a Gazan family coming to the UK under the Ukraine scheme.

    Baroness Carr said on Tuesday: "Both question and the answer were unacceptable.

    "It is for the government visibly to respect and protect the independence of the judiciary.

    "Where parties, including the government, disagree with their findings, they should do so through the appellate process."

    What exactly is that ruling?

    My wife is not eligible for the Ukraine scheme, despite being Ukranian, because she wasn’t resident there at the start of the war.
    https://news.sky.com/story/palestinian-family-allowed-to-remain-in-uk-after-applying-through-ukrainian-refugee-scheme-13307616

    A Palestinian family that fled Gaza has been granted the right to live in the UK following an appeal - after they applied to enter the country through a Ukrainian refugee scheme.

    However they have been granted the right to live in the UK after upper tribunal judges allowed a further appeal, on the grounds of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights which protects the right to family life, following a hearing in January.

    The Home Office has said it contested the family's claim "rigorously" at both tribunals.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 13,431
    kamski said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Andy_JS said:

    You've got to love the Left.

    All criticism of Rayner is just because she's a feisty northern working class woman.

    All criticism of Reeves is because she's a woman who went to a state-school and did ok and was mocked at the time.

    At no point whatsoever can their competence or capability be in question. It's all prejudice.

    It explains their fundamental chippiness. Because prejudice and identity-based grievance is all they have.

    Its hard to deny that prejudice isn't present. Tories don't like gobby northerners of any kind - especially the odd one who navigates through their own ranks. And Reeves? They wouldn't have attacked a male chancellor as "from accounts" no matter how shit they were.

    I don't rate either of them that highly. But you can't deny the sneering that is done towards them for who they are, not what they do.
    Wasn't Mrs T a gobby northerner?
    No, she was a Midlander.
    It would be interesting to go to Grantham and ask people whether they regard themselves more as Midlanders or Northerners.
    I'm from the East Midlands, and I never thought of any part of Lincolnshire as being properly East Midlands, but the people of Grantham surely think of themselves as Midlands rather than North. I mean how can it be North? It's further south than Nottingham
    Grantham to London by train is quicker (just over an hour) than going from one end of the District line to the other. North it is not. Anyway, Lincolnshire is none of the above, and is its own place as if it were a margraviate within the Holy Roman Empire.
  • Jim_MillerJim_Miller Posts: 3,173
    In answer to an earlier question: Almost 10,000 Americans, almost all of them female, are named Liberty:
  • RandallFlaggRandallFlagg Posts: 1,374
    Andy_JS said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    I've always thought of Konstantin as British even though he was born in Russia. Surprised he said this.
    I think $$$$ explains it. He's more than happy to give his MAGA fanboys what they want.
  • WinchyWinchy Posts: 110

    any betting yet on the next Archbishop of Canterbury?

    Or a double on the next ++Canterbury and the next Pope?

    But I trust Francis will come out of hospital fighting fit. He is doing a much better job than his predecessors. (Perhaps he is also St Malachi's Peter of Rome, in which case backing any successor would be unwise.)
  • eekeek Posts: 29,138
    tlg86 said:

    Sandpit said:

    tlg86 said:

    File under unhelpful...

    https://news.sky.com/story/englands-top-judge-condemns-starmer-and-badenoch-comments-on-gaza-family-coming-to-uk-on-ukraine-scheme-13311847?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

    England's most senior judge says she is "deeply troubled" by Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch's exchange about a Gazan family coming to the UK under the Ukraine scheme.

    Baroness Carr said on Tuesday: "Both question and the answer were unacceptable.

    "It is for the government visibly to respect and protect the independence of the judiciary.

    "Where parties, including the government, disagree with their findings, they should do so through the appellate process."

    What exactly is that ruling?

    My wife is not eligible for the Ukraine scheme, despite being Ukranian, because she wasn’t resident there at the start of the war.
    https://news.sky.com/story/palestinian-family-allowed-to-remain-in-uk-after-applying-through-ukrainian-refugee-scheme-13307616

    A Palestinian family that fled Gaza has been granted the right to live in the UK following an appeal - after they applied to enter the country through a Ukrainian refugee scheme.

    However they have been granted the right to live in the UK after upper tribunal judges allowed a further appeal, on the grounds of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights which protects the right to family life, following a hearing in January.

    The Home Office has said it contested the family's claim "rigorously" at both tribunals.
    And it’s going to have to be fixed because it means tribunals are making decisions beyond the desire of the Government
  • rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 8,503
    kinabalu said:

    rkrkrk said:

    Pulpstar said:

    DOGE is starting to post the receipts

    https://doge.gov/savings

    If Cooper and others are serious about savings, they need to be prepared to send people into Whitehall who are not afraid to make enemies there, and not afraid to break hobby horses.

    At this point, you should assume everything they say is a lie unless there's independent corroboration.
    There's probably a statistical calculation you could do, but given that most people don't generally lie, and they have been caught repeatedly, I think we are well past the point of no belief.
    Is there going to be any verification of the numbers outside TrumpWorld?
    Well at the moment there is still independent statistical capacity/economists who can point out the lies. In time, I wouldn't be surprised if they go full Argentina/China and start inventing gdp stats at some point.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,384

    Sandpit said:

    tlg86 said:

    File under unhelpful...

    https://news.sky.com/story/englands-top-judge-condemns-starmer-and-badenoch-comments-on-gaza-family-coming-to-uk-on-ukraine-scheme-13311847?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

    England's most senior judge says she is "deeply troubled" by Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch's exchange about a Gazan family coming to the UK under the Ukraine scheme.

    Baroness Carr said on Tuesday: "Both question and the answer were unacceptable.

    "It is for the government visibly to respect and protect the independence of the judiciary.

    "Where parties, including the government, disagree with their findings, they should do so through the appellate process."

    What exactly is that ruling?

    My wife is not eligible for the Ukraine scheme, despite being Ukranian, because she wasn’t resident there at the start of the war.
    Sky have a write-up at https://news.sky.com/story/what-is-the-loophole-that-allowed-a-family-in-gaza-permission-to-come-to-uk-on-a-ukraine-resettlement-scheme-13308009 that goes into some detail.
    Cheers, that's much better than my link:

    The judge added that there was "no evidence" he had seen that the Home Office had made a deliberate decision not to implement a Palestinian resettlement scheme.

    The fact that there is a specific Ukrainian scheme is obvious proof of the government's intention.
  • eekeek Posts: 29,138
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/property/second-homes/botched-second-homes-crackdown-wipes-30k-off-house-prices/

    Got to say I’m confused as to why the Journalist thinks this is botched. If the aim was to make house prices affordable so locals could buy them a reduction in prices was always going to be the likely result.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 44,607

    Friend of Musk, soon to be head of NASA, wants to pour more money to his friend.

    https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/02/nasa-nominee-previews-his-vision-for-the-agency-mars-hard-work-inspiration/

    Trump's government really is a kleptocracy.

    The article doesn't say that.
    My god !!!!

    You can actually write a post without making it a question!

    Wow.

    As for your 'point', from the article:

    " Commenting on an image of Mars, it is notable that Isaacman chose to focus on the benefits of sending humans to the red planet."

    He also apes Musk's stupid rhetoric:
    "Additionally, Isaacman said taking the first steps toward humanity living beyond Earth was critical to the long-term survival of the species, and that such an achievement would inspire a new generation of scientific and technological leaders."

    NASA is currently committed to going back to the Moon. Musk traditionally (*) said that the Moon was a distraction, and we should be going to Mars instead. And if NASA and the government does change tack to Mars, there's only one company with the kit to get there. His friend's.

    (*) Before he was given billions by NASA to go to the Moon...
    Would you prefer if he did make it a question?
    Would you? ;)
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 53,587

    In answer to an earlier question: Almost 10,000 Americans, almost all of them female, are named Liberty:

    Are any of them Bells?
  • nico67nico67 Posts: 4,599
    Next stop in the Musk purge is to remove those who compile the job statistics and inflation report .

  • kamskikamski Posts: 5,816
    edited February 18

    Andy_JS said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    I've always thought of Konstantin as British even though he was born in Russia. Surprised he said this.
    I think $$$$ explains it. He's more than happy to give his MAGA fanboys what they want.
    I've only just realised why Trump seems to have a soft spot for Starmer.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 13,431
    carnforth said:

    algarkirk said:

    carnforth said:

    tlg86 said:

    File under unhelpful...

    https://news.sky.com/story/englands-top-judge-condemns-starmer-and-badenoch-comments-on-gaza-family-coming-to-uk-on-ukraine-scheme-13311847?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

    England's most senior judge says she is "deeply troubled" by Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch's exchange about a Gazan family coming to the UK under the Ukraine scheme.

    Baroness Carr said on Tuesday: "Both question and the answer were unacceptable.

    "It is for the government visibly to respect and protect the independence of the judiciary.

    "Where parties, including the government, disagree with their findings, they should do so through the appellate process."

    They get to change the law you follow, Baroness. Which involves criticising it.
    That is unfair on the judiciary. Parliament is playing the man not the ball. Judges apply the law as it stands, and everything they do can be appealed by the government or any party. Government and parliament have a special position and therefore special responsibilities. If they don't like their own laws they can change them. Judges and the general public can't.
    You would prefer politicians to wait until all appeals are exhausted - potentially years - to pass comment? I wouldn't be so strict.
    If a government/parliamentarian wants to say the the law which gives rise to a judgment is wrong, that's fine; as long as they get on and change it. To say that the judge was wrong, without giving a very detailed and lawyer proof account of why it is wrong accompanied by a successful appeal, is the stuff of a Trumpian world. In particular it gives cover to dim people to commit violence on judges.

    This is what is starting to happen in America.
  • WinchyWinchy Posts: 110
    edited February 18
    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Anyone who views themselves as English is English. Ditto Russian, Jewish, Irish, etc. It is pathetically small-minded for any group to stand around saying they are the only true Englishmen, and that some others (look at their ancestry, their skin colour, down their trousers, what they like to eat, their religion, whether they refer much to the siege of Mafeking or only nod their agreement when "true" Englishmen are present, etc.) may think they're English but really they only live here.
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 10,358

    In answer to an earlier question: Almost 10,000 Americans, almost all of them female, are named Liberty:

    Are any of them Bells?
    they are probably cracked at least
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,398
    edited February 18
    eek said:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/property/second-homes/botched-second-homes-crackdown-wipes-30k-off-house-prices/

    Got to say I’m confused as to why the Journalist thinks this is botched. If the aim was to make house prices affordable so locals could buy them a reduction in prices was always going to be the likely result.

    Rather like that GB News piece the other day about woke councils digging up dead war heroes, it gives completely the different impression from what the actual content of the piece says.

    'He added: “The council’s Housing Action Plan aims to increase the availability of high-quality, affordable homes for local people. [...]

    “Research carried out prior to the introduction of the Article 4 policy in September 2024 showed that over 65pc of Gwynedd’s population was priced out of the housing market, with the percentage being significantly higher in those areas of the county with a large number of holiday homes.”'
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 44,607
    sarissa said:

    DavidL said:

    Absolute idiots, they deserve this.

    The British couple detained in Iran have been charged with espionage, according to the Iranian judiciary news agency.

    https://news.sky.com/story/british-couple-detained-in-iran-charged-with-espionage-13311789

    With a cover story that they were driving a motorbike from Armenia through Iran to Pakistan the accusation is hardly surprising. Who’d believe that?
    Mark Beaumont, 2008
    I did enjoy his book about that ride.

    The first person to walk around the world was Dave Kunst. He and his brother were attacked in Afghanistan, and his brother died. Dave returned later to continue the walk with another brother.

    ISTR they started off with a mule, leaving it when they got to New York. When they returned to America, someone flew the original mule to the west coast, where it finished the walk with them.

    I do love circumnavigators, whether it's a lake, a country or the world... :)

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Kunst
  • Jim_MillerJim_Miller Posts: 3,173
    On a more serious point: I doubt very much that the Loser has a strategy for negotiating with Putin over Ukraine. (Musk probably does, but I don't understand him well enough to guess what it might be.)
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,398
    Sandpit said:

    Best video yet of the Canadian plane crash this morning. From the cockpit of another plane, which is somewhat unusual but there was a howling wind and freezing conditions.

    https://x.com/airmainengineer/status/1891800990317191428

    Looks like they hit an air pocket at the worst possible time, and it smacked into the ground and rolled over.

    The more videos watched of this one, the more utterly astonishing it is that everyone of 80 PoB got out. That could very, very, easily have been 80 fatalities.

    Oh, thanks. Very impressive result.

    BTW what's an 'air pocket' in modern terms? Sounds very Biggles era ...
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 44,607
    Sandpit said:

    Best video yet of the Canadian plane crash this morning. From the cockpit of another plane, which is somewhat unusual but there was a howling wind and freezing conditions.

    https://x.com/airmainengineer/status/1891800990317191428

    Looks like they hit an air pocket at the worst possible time, and it smacked into the ground and rolled over.

    The more videos watched of this one, the more utterly astonishing it is that everyone of 80 PoB got out. That could very, very, easily have been 80 fatalities.

    Hmm. That seems to me they were fairly wings-level at impact, and they just came down too hard?
  • nico67nico67 Posts: 4,599
    Sad to see the British couple held on false espionage charges . However why did they even take this risk to go into Iran ?

  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 43,911
    rkrkrk said:

    kinabalu said:

    rkrkrk said:

    Pulpstar said:

    DOGE is starting to post the receipts

    https://doge.gov/savings

    If Cooper and others are serious about savings, they need to be prepared to send people into Whitehall who are not afraid to make enemies there, and not afraid to break hobby horses.

    At this point, you should assume everything they say is a lie unless there's independent corroboration.
    There's probably a statistical calculation you could do, but given that most people don't generally lie, and they have been caught repeatedly, I think we are well past the point of no belief.
    Is there going to be any verification of the numbers outside TrumpWorld?
    Well at the moment there is still independent statistical capacity/economists who can point out the lies. In time, I wouldn't be surprised if they go full Argentina/China and start inventing gdp stats at some point.
    It wouldn't surprise me at all.

    There's a general reporting template regarding Gaza casualties that always caveats with the phrase "according to the Hamas controlled Health Authority".

    I can see something similar being required for MAGA America.

    "US inflation falls to 1.5% ... according to the Donald Trump controlled Department of Labor"

    This sort of thing.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,021

    Sandpit said:

    tlg86 said:

    File under unhelpful...

    https://news.sky.com/story/englands-top-judge-condemns-starmer-and-badenoch-comments-on-gaza-family-coming-to-uk-on-ukraine-scheme-13311847?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

    England's most senior judge says she is "deeply troubled" by Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch's exchange about a Gazan family coming to the UK under the Ukraine scheme.

    Baroness Carr said on Tuesday: "Both question and the answer were unacceptable.

    "It is for the government visibly to respect and protect the independence of the judiciary.

    "Where parties, including the government, disagree with their findings, they should do so through the appellate process."

    What exactly is that ruling?

    My wife is not eligible for the Ukraine scheme, despite being Ukranian, because she wasn’t resident there at the start of the war.
    Sky have a write-up at https://news.sky.com/story/what-is-the-loophole-that-allowed-a-family-in-gaza-permission-to-come-to-uk-on-a-ukraine-resettlement-scheme-13308009 that goes into some detail.
    Thanks.

    Perhaps I should have applied for my wife, and find some activist legal aid charity to run up a million quid in legal bills on her behalf.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 52,941

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    Wellington's views on being born in a stable appeal to some.
    Actually, Irishman Daniel O’Connell denying that Wellington could be seen as Irish.

    Nativism in action….
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,619
    Pagan2 said:

    FF43 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    That’s nativism.
    Maybe unlike others, I welcome immigrants who have something to offer and are committed to our country. Sometimes mistakes are made however. It looks like Konstantin Kison is one of them.
    He seems to have something to offer and I would assume he is a net contributor fiscally. Should we exclude people on the basis of their views?
    Absolutely exclude people on the basis of their views. What else would you exclude immigrants on?

    And I don't count as "something to offer" going round saying someone who is brown skin and the "wrong" religion doesn't deserve their born nationality
    So would you support banning devout fundamentalist christians on the grounds they have mysogynist views
    It depends. If they are happy to contribute to a tolerant, essentially secular society I would welcome them and not care what their private thoughts are.
    How is that consistent with your statement that people should be excluded on the basis of their views
    If I, as someone who doesn't share their fundamentalist views, invites these people into my house I expect them to respect my views just as I respect theirs. If they don't agree with this, I am happy to cancel the invite. I don't owe them anything.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 13,431
    PJH said:

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    Wellington's views on being born in a stable appeal to some.
    If someone is born in a stable in England, they are English.
    If someone is born in a stable in Bethlehem, they are...?

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    Wellington's views on being born in a stable appeal to some.
    If someone is born in a stable in England, they are English.
    If someone is born in a stable in Bethlehem, they are...?
    Judean?
    Ius soli! However, one of the firm realities about the actual historical Jesus is that he was regarded as a Galilean; which in Roman empire terms was not in the same jurisdiction as Judea.

    The probability that Jesus was in fact born somewhere in Galilee and not in Bethlehem - an account which shows strong signs of post hoc legitimation myth - is one of those things most people really don't want to know.
  • BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 8,902
    slade said:

    We have another Tuesday local by-election. This time in Brent with a Lib Dem defence. It is a sad case where the sitting councillor has been forced to resign following police advice about his personal safety.

    A sad case as you say.
    https://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/23490163.brent-councillors-terror-stalker-released-prison/
    Lib Dems putting a lot of effort into retaining the seat.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,021
    algarkirk said:

    carnforth said:

    algarkirk said:

    carnforth said:

    tlg86 said:

    File under unhelpful...

    https://news.sky.com/story/englands-top-judge-condemns-starmer-and-badenoch-comments-on-gaza-family-coming-to-uk-on-ukraine-scheme-13311847?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

    England's most senior judge says she is "deeply troubled" by Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch's exchange about a Gazan family coming to the UK under the Ukraine scheme.

    Baroness Carr said on Tuesday: "Both question and the answer were unacceptable.

    "It is for the government visibly to respect and protect the independence of the judiciary.

    "Where parties, including the government, disagree with their findings, they should do so through the appellate process."

    They get to change the law you follow, Baroness. Which involves criticising it.
    That is unfair on the judiciary. Parliament is playing the man not the ball. Judges apply the law as it stands, and everything they do can be appealed by the government or any party. Government and parliament have a special position and therefore special responsibilities. If they don't like their own laws they can change them. Judges and the general public can't.
    You would prefer politicians to wait until all appeals are exhausted - potentially years - to pass comment? I wouldn't be so strict.
    If a government/parliamentarian wants to say the the law which gives rise to a judgment is wrong, that's fine; as long as they get on and change it. To say that the judge was wrong, without giving a very detailed and lawyer proof account of why it is wrong accompanied by a successful appeal, is the stuff of a Trumpian world. In particular it gives cover to dim people to commit violence on judges.

    This is what is starting to happen in America.
    America has the opposite problem, where the judges are political appointees who apply the most partisan possible interpretation of any law to their side, often spuriously to buy the time it takes to make an appeal.

    The UK judiciary is 1000x better, even if one might disagree with them on occasion.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,169

    In answer to an earlier question: Almost 10,000 Americans, almost all of them female, are named Liberty:

    My dog sitter has a daughter named Liberty. She is from a traveller family.

    "Virtue" names have been back in fashion for a while. I know a little Constance, and a couple of Felicitys.

  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 50,502
    Sandpit said:

    Best video yet of the Canadian plane crash this morning. From the cockpit of another plane, which is somewhat unusual but there was a howling wind and freezing conditions.

    https://x.com/airmainengineer/status/1891800990317191428

    Looks like they hit an air pocket at the worst possible time, and it smacked into the ground and rolled over.

    The more videos watched of this one, the more utterly astonishing it is that everyone of 80 PoB got out. That could very, very, easily have been 80 fatalities.

    The plane I used to rent on the island was written off after three fat blokes hired it, and ran off the hard runway at too high a speed, after which the front wheel dug into the mud, the plane flipped over, and they were lucky to waddle away with cuts and bruises. When an aeroplane meets the ground, the chance of it ending up upside down is easily underestimated.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 53,587
    FF43 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    FF43 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    That’s nativism.
    Maybe unlike others, I welcome immigrants who have something to offer and are committed to our country. Sometimes mistakes are made however. It looks like Konstantin Kison is one of them.
    He seems to have something to offer and I would assume he is a net contributor fiscally. Should we exclude people on the basis of their views?
    Absolutely exclude people on the basis of their views. What else would you exclude immigrants on?

    And I don't count as "something to offer" going round saying someone who is brown skin and the "wrong" religion doesn't deserve their born nationality
    So would you support banning devout fundamentalist christians on the grounds they have mysogynist views
    It depends. If they are happy to contribute to a tolerant, essentially secular society I would welcome them and not care what their private thoughts are.
    How is that consistent with your statement that people should be excluded on the basis of their views
    If I, as someone who doesn't share their fundamentalist views, invites these people into my house I expect them to respect my views just as I respect theirs. If they don't agree with this, I am happy to cancel the invite. I don't owe them anything.
    But once you've let them in, what if they outvote you?
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 13,431
    nico67 said:

    Sad to see the British couple held on false espionage charges . However why did they even take this risk to go into Iran ?

    Flights from the UK to Iran happen all the time. People from the UK visit Iran all the time for all sorts of reasons.
  • carnforth said:

    Absolute idiots, they deserve this.

    The British couple detained in Iran have been charged with espionage, according to the Iranian judiciary news agency.

    https://news.sky.com/story/british-couple-detained-in-iran-charged-with-espionage-13311789

    Didn't we pay Iran that $400m for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe? What do they want now?
    Another $400m? Or perhaps $800m since they've got 2 people this time? Maybe $1b with inflation?

    We should never have paid a penny for Zaghari-Ratcliffe. It was inevitable they'd be back for more.
  • kamskikamski Posts: 5,816
    algarkirk said:

    PJH said:

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    Wellington's views on being born in a stable appeal to some.
    If someone is born in a stable in England, they are English.
    If someone is born in a stable in Bethlehem, they are...?

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    Wellington's views on being born in a stable appeal to some.
    If someone is born in a stable in England, they are English.
    If someone is born in a stable in Bethlehem, they are...?
    Judean?
    Ius soli! However, one of the firm realities about the actual historical Jesus is that he was regarded as a Galilean; which in Roman empire terms was not in the same jurisdiction as Judea.

    The probability that Jesus was in fact born somewhere in Galilee and not in Bethlehem - an account which shows strong signs of post hoc legitimation myth - is one of those things most people really don't want to know.
    I guess because that inaccuracy might put in doubt the otherwise entirely plausible story.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,081
    kamski said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Andy_JS said:

    You've got to love the Left.

    All criticism of Rayner is just because she's a feisty northern working class woman.

    All criticism of Reeves is because she's a woman who went to a state-school and did ok and was mocked at the time.

    At no point whatsoever can their competence or capability be in question. It's all prejudice.

    It explains their fundamental chippiness. Because prejudice and identity-based grievance is all they have.

    Its hard to deny that prejudice isn't present. Tories don't like gobby northerners of any kind - especially the odd one who navigates through their own ranks. And Reeves? They wouldn't have attacked a male chancellor as "from accounts" no matter how shit they were.

    I don't rate either of them that highly. But you can't deny the sneering that is done towards them for who they are, not what they do.
    Wasn't Mrs T a gobby northerner?
    No, she was a Midlander.
    It would be interesting to go to Grantham and ask people whether they regard themselves more as Midlanders or Northerners.
    I'm from the East Midlands, and I never thought of any part of Lincolnshire as being properly East Midlands, but the people of Grantham surely think of themselves as Midlands rather than North. I mean how can it be North? It's further south than Nottingham
    I think the East always struggles to fit neatly into the South-Midlands-North categories. It’s its own thing. By which I only mean Norfolk and Lincolnshire. Not Notts (Midlands), Suffolk and Cambs (SE), or East Yorks (North).

    It has its own specific climate. Forecasters will often talk about Eastern England. I think it merits special treatment in the same way that Cornwall and Wales do.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,252
    algarkirk said:

    nico67 said:

    Sad to see the British couple held on false espionage charges . However why did they even take this risk to go into Iran ?

    Flights from the UK to Iran happen all the time. People from the UK visit Iran all the time for all sorts of reasons.
    I thought sanctions prevented direct flights from the UK to Iran?
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,829
    tlg86 said:

    File under unhelpful...

    https://news.sky.com/story/englands-top-judge-condemns-starmer-and-badenoch-comments-on-gaza-family-coming-to-uk-on-ukraine-scheme-13311847?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

    England's most senior judge says she is "deeply troubled" by Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch's exchange about a Gazan family coming to the UK under the Ukraine scheme.

    Baroness Carr said on Tuesday: "Both question and the answer were unacceptable.

    "It is for the government visibly to respect and protect the independence of the judiciary.

    "Where parties, including the government, disagree with their findings, they should do so through the appellate process."

    the independence of the judiciary

    Hah.

    Independent my foot, more like captured by vested lawyerly interests.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,169

    carnforth said:

    Absolute idiots, they deserve this.

    The British couple detained in Iran have been charged with espionage, according to the Iranian judiciary news agency.

    https://news.sky.com/story/british-couple-detained-in-iran-charged-with-espionage-13311789

    Didn't we pay Iran that $400m for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe? What do they want now?
    Another $400m? Or perhaps $800m since they've got 2 people this time? Maybe $1b with inflation?

    We should never have paid a penny for Zaghari-Ratcliffe. It was inevitable they'd be back for more.
    Wasn't that money just repaying the Iranians for the tanks that they had ordered and that we refused to deliver?
  • tlg86 said:

    File under unhelpful...

    https://news.sky.com/story/englands-top-judge-condemns-starmer-and-badenoch-comments-on-gaza-family-coming-to-uk-on-ukraine-scheme-13311847?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

    England's most senior judge says she is "deeply troubled" by Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch's exchange about a Gazan family coming to the UK under the Ukraine scheme.

    Baroness Carr said on Tuesday: "Both question and the answer were unacceptable.

    "It is for the government visibly to respect and protect the independence of the judiciary.

    "Where parties, including the government, disagree with their findings, they should do so through the appellate process."

    Politicians should absolutely have the right to debate and disagree with judicial rulings.

    Where the Government disagrees with their findings, they can do so via changing the law, not just the appellate process.

    And changing the law should be freely debated.
  • Foxy said:

    carnforth said:

    Absolute idiots, they deserve this.

    The British couple detained in Iran have been charged with espionage, according to the Iranian judiciary news agency.

    https://news.sky.com/story/british-couple-detained-in-iran-charged-with-espionage-13311789

    Didn't we pay Iran that $400m for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe? What do they want now?
    Another $400m? Or perhaps $800m since they've got 2 people this time? Maybe $1b with inflation?

    We should never have paid a penny for Zaghari-Ratcliffe. It was inevitable they'd be back for more.
    Wasn't that money just repaying the Iranians for the tanks that they had ordered and that we refused to deliver?
    No, it was paying a ransom.

    A big mistake.
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,619

    FF43 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    FF43 said:

    Pagan2 said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    FF43 said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Nitpicking a bit but why should anyone care whether Konstantin Kison, not born here, thinks Rishi Sunak who is a native to this country, is British?
    That’s nativism.
    Maybe unlike others, I welcome immigrants who have something to offer and are committed to our country. Sometimes mistakes are made however. It looks like Konstantin Kison is one of them.
    He seems to have something to offer and I would assume he is a net contributor fiscally. Should we exclude people on the basis of their views?
    Absolutely exclude people on the basis of their views. What else would you exclude immigrants on?

    And I don't count as "something to offer" going round saying someone who is brown skin and the "wrong" religion doesn't deserve their born nationality
    So would you support banning devout fundamentalist christians on the grounds they have mysogynist views
    It depends. If they are happy to contribute to a tolerant, essentially secular society I would welcome them and not care what their private thoughts are.
    How is that consistent with your statement that people should be excluded on the basis of their views
    If I, as someone who doesn't share their fundamentalist views, invites these people into my house I expect them to respect my views just as I respect theirs. If they don't agree with this, I am happy to cancel the invite. I don't owe them anything.
    But once you've let them in, what if they outvote you?
    If we let in too many people like this Konstantin guy, that is a risk
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 5,237
    Foxy said:

    carnforth said:

    Absolute idiots, they deserve this.

    The British couple detained in Iran have been charged with espionage, according to the Iranian judiciary news agency.

    https://news.sky.com/story/british-couple-detained-in-iran-charged-with-espionage-13311789

    Didn't we pay Iran that $400m for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe? What do they want now?
    Another $400m? Or perhaps $800m since they've got 2 people this time? Maybe $1b with inflation?

    We should never have paid a penny for Zaghari-Ratcliffe. It was inevitable they'd be back for more.
    Wasn't that money just repaying the Iranians for the tanks that they had ordered and that we refused to deliver?
    Yes, but we normally withold payment in such a case until a legitimate government returns. Of course in Iran, it's been 50 years, so I suppose that's why we caved.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 43,911
    Winchy said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Anyone who views themselves as English is English. Ditto Russian, Jewish, Irish, etc. It is pathetically small-minded for any group to stand around saying they are the only true Englishmen, and that some others (look at their ancestry, their skin colour, down their trousers, what they like to eat, their religion, whether they refer much to the siege of Mafeking or only nod their agreement when "true" Englishmen are present, etc.) may think they're English but really they only live here.
    You have to wonder about people who like to define what Englishness is and are keen to bring ethnicity into it.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,021
    edited February 18
    Carnyx said:

    Sandpit said:

    Best video yet of the Canadian plane crash this morning. From the cockpit of another plane, which is somewhat unusual but there was a howling wind and freezing conditions.

    https://x.com/airmainengineer/status/1891800990317191428

    Looks like they hit an air pocket at the worst possible time, and it smacked into the ground and rolled over.

    The more videos watched of this one, the more utterly astonishing it is that everyone of 80 PoB got out. That could very, very, easily have been 80 fatalities.

    Oh, thanks. Very impressive result.

    BTW what's an 'air pocket' in modern terms? Sounds very Biggles era ...
    The “air pocket” is an area of relatively less dense air, caused by air masses hitting each other and causing the air to move in different directions. Planes don’t fly as well in this less dense air, as they do in more dense air, hence they fall down in the air.

    If your plane is in turbulence, you’re actually experiencing air of different densities or wind directions, which causes the plane appear to bounce around.

    Close to the ground, this is somewhat more of a problem, as you see here on a very windy day.

    A pilot usually adds a few knots of airspeed to their approach on a windy day, so if my usual approach speed is 80kts and the wind is 20kts, I’d add half the wind and approach at 90kts on that day. This makes the landing distance longer, which I might need to take into account with a big plane and a short runway when it’s snowing…

    Looking at the weather reported, this landing would have been awfully close* to the certified operating limits of the aircraft, and they just got damn unlucky. (* let’s see just how close the investigators think it was, might easily have been the wrong side of the line).
  • kinabalu said:

    Winchy said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Anyone who views themselves as English is English. Ditto Russian, Jewish, Irish, etc. It is pathetically small-minded for any group to stand around saying they are the only true Englishmen, and that some others (look at their ancestry, their skin colour, down their trousers, what they like to eat, their religion, whether they refer much to the siege of Mafeking or only nod their agreement when "true" Englishmen are present, etc.) may think they're English but really they only live here.
    You have to wonder about people who like to define what Englishness is and are keen to bring ethnicity into it.
    We caved because the Government agreed to ransom Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

    Should never have been done. No shock they've now got 2 more people to ransom.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 74,117
    Foxy said:

    In answer to an earlier question: Almost 10,000 Americans, almost all of them female, are named Liberty:

    My dog sitter has a daughter named Liberty. She is from a traveller family.

    "Virtue" names have been back in fashion for a while. I know a little Constance, and a couple of Felicitys.

    Any Probitys ?
  • RobD said:

    algarkirk said:

    nico67 said:

    Sad to see the British couple held on false espionage charges . However why did they even take this risk to go into Iran ?

    Flights from the UK to Iran happen all the time. People from the UK visit Iran all the time for all sorts of reasons.
    I thought sanctions prevented direct flights from the UK to Iran?
    Iran Air's always there at LHR on the Sunday BigJet TV show.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 43,911

    kinabalu said:

    Winchy said:

    viewcode said:

    'He's a brown Hindu, how can he be English?'

    Prick.

    https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051

    Who are the pricks Fraser Nelson is repudiating ?
    Fraser Nelson is Scottish and the former editor of the Spectator. For all those who watch Triggernometry (I try not to but sometimes I have to), the two interviewers are Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. Basically Konstantin Kisin does all the talking and Francis Foster just sits there, says nothing, and cashes the cheque. The clip dialogue is:
    • Fraser Nelson. I would say that Rishi Sunak is as English as Tizer and Y-fronts. He is absolutely English, he was born and bred here, and I wouldn't say the colour of his skin makes him any less...
    • Konstantin Kisin (interrupting): He's a brown Hindu, how is he English?
    • Fraser Nelson (shocked): Because he was born and bred here.
    • Konstantin Kisin (incredulous): So by being born here you become English in your opinion?
    • Fraser Nelson: Yeah.
    Source: https://x.com/60sJapanfan/status/1891532608837755051
    Anyone who views themselves as English is English. Ditto Russian, Jewish, Irish, etc. It is pathetically small-minded for any group to stand around saying they are the only true Englishmen, and that some others (look at their ancestry, their skin colour, down their trousers, what they like to eat, their religion, whether they refer much to the siege of Mafeking or only nod their agreement when "true" Englishmen are present, etc.) may think they're English but really they only live here.
    You have to wonder about people who like to define what Englishness is and are keen to bring ethnicity into it.
    We caved because the Government agreed to ransom Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

    Should never have been done. No shock they've now got 2 more people to ransom.
    Well I dare say - but I think you're replied to the wrong post.

    We can have a chat sometime, though, if you like. Been a while.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 74,117
    White House says Elon Musk is not part of DOGE
    https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5150599-white-house-elon-musk-doge/
    The White House said Monday that Elon Musk is technically not part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), even though the tech billionaire is said to be leading its sweeping cost-cutting efforts.
    Musk is an employee of the “White House Office” and serves as senior advisor to the president, said Joshua Fisher, director of the White House Office of Administration, in a court filing.
    The Tesla and SpaceX CEO is not an employee of the U.S. DOGE Service or the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization, both of which are separate from the White House Office, according to Fisher.
    He is also not U.S. DOGE Service administrator, the head of DOGE as laid out in President Trump’s executive order last month establishing the service.
    “In his role as a Senior Advisor to the President, Mr. Musk has no greater authority than other senior White House advisors,” Fisher said in his declaration to the court...


    Power without responsibility or accountability.
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