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  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 63,921
    ydoethur said:

    Eabhal said:

    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    ydoethur said:

    Bad news from Diddly Squat. We’ve gone down with TB. Everyone here is absolutely devastated.
    https://x.com/JeremyClarkson/status/1950911254056272374

    Oh God, please don’t let anything happen to Endgame, he was the star of the last season.
    Test inconclusive, so retest will be needed. Not usually a good sign.
    Bugger.
    So will the next series be cull badgers because they spread TB or don’t cull badgers as it restricts the distances badgers “cover”
    Unfortunately, because we have dithered over what to do about TB in badgers for forty years it's rather too late to deal with the situation whether we cull or don't cull.

    Before he died three years ago my father (who was quite heavily involved in all of this) said that it was so widespread and endemic in badgers that culling would likely not make much difference. Nor would vaccination as there would be no way of vaccinating prior to infection, which normally occurs in the first few days of life.

    So unless a way of vaccinating cattle without compromising their disease-free status can be found, we're a bit buggered, and so far nobody has.

    While if we had culled badgers in TB hotspots thirty years ago, we might have eliminated the problem altogether.

    Well done badger lobby, how to get it spectacularly backwards.
    What you're saying is that the badger population was largely TB-free and now, because we haven't vaccinated cows, the delightful wee critters are all sick? Classic victim-blaming. ;)

    Also out of date. The farmers from my patch are now blasting Bambi to smithereens because they've convinced themselves that's the real reason. They might be right - the deer population has doubled since 1990.
    Er, no, on both counts. You can't vaccinate badgers because the adults infect the cubs before you can get at them with vaccine. And you can't vaccinate cattle because of restrictions on movement and sale due to difficulties distinguishing between infected and vaccinated animals. If that could be properly dealt with the problem would be at an end, pretty much.

    And yes, the badger population was largely TB at one point, but now it isn't because of a failure to shoot out those badgers which provided a reservoir of the disease which allowed it to spread among the whole population.

    If you're telling the truth about deer and it's not just one farmer who's been smoking weed, they are idiots. Deer don't have nose-to-nose contact with cattle, which badgers do ('a deer that smells a cow will be half a field away in seconds') and deer don't piss on nice deep patches of grass that cattle like to eat, as badgers do.

    And do you know, I don't actually find this subject very funny? It's done terrible harm for years, and shows just how nasty, stupid and bigoted a lot of people who pose as 'environmentalists' and 'animal lovers' can be. Ironically, the only member of my family to be infected as a result is a vegan, but hey.
    Idiots with votes, sadly.

    Right now, the cuddly badgers and Brian May wins.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 60,862
    Omnium said:

    guybrush said:

    MaxPB said:

    Sean_F said:

    Andy_JS said:

    "Tulip Siddiq to face corruption trial in Bangladesh
    Former anti-corruption minister is alleged to have illegally received land from despot aunt’s government"

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/31/tulip-siddiq-corruption-trial-bangladesh-labour-hasina

    Hampstead and Highgate. GREEN/YOURPARTY GAIN
    The area has more LibDem councillors than Green ones. I think it goes Lab, LibDem, Con, Green. The local LibDems have selected a candidate already.

    At the general election, it was...

    Labour 48%
    Conservative 17%
    Green 14%
    Liberal Democrats 13%
    Reform UK 6%
    Rejoin EU 1%
    Independent 1%
    In by-election conditions, I think that the Lib Dems would take it.

    In theory, Reform might hit second place, but I expect any increase in their vote will lag far behind the national average.
    No, this is not a Reform UK-y type of place. And do you know how many Gail's we have?

    (I don't know how many Gail's we have, but I think it's 5.)
    I thought Gails were the Sydney Sweeney of bakeries these days for progressives?
    What's wrong with Gail's? (I mean, I'm sure there are plenty of things wrong with Gail's,* but to what are you referring?)

    * I can't eat gluten. Like the SNP on votes on English matters, I excuse myself from taking a view.
    The owner of Gails has views that many of the left don't like and also the general gentrification / squeezing out local businesses has led to some backlash.

    I never liked Gail’s but that’s not why I’m opposed’: Walthamstow’s revolt

    last week this desirable corner of north-east London hit the news with a change.org petition to prevent the upmarket cafe and bakery chain Gail’s,

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/aug/18/i-never-liked-gails-but-thats-not-why-im-opposed-walthamstows-revolt-and-the-awkward-paradox-for-middle-class-london
    Gail's is just a bit basic isn't it. It's Clapham in bakery form.
    Perfect description of Gail's.
    But the bread is so much better than supermarket loaves, and there's not exactly a surplus of independent bakeries in my corner of SW London. Why the hate?
    It's an overpriced chain for people who like overpriced chains.
    I don't actually like their bread. Other specialist bakers seem to make far better. I do like their sausage rolls though.
    Me too!
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 27,020

    tlg86 said:

    Everyone's favourite stats release...

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/articles/babynamesexplorer/2019-06-07

    Percentage of boys named Muhammad:

    1996: 0.1%
    2000: 0.3%
    2004: 0.4%
    2008: 0.6%
    2012: 0.9%
    2016: 1.2%
    2020: 1.3%
    2021: 1.3%
    2022: 1.5%
    2023: 1.7%
    2024: 2.1%

    Is that every variation or just that particular spelling?
    Just that spelling.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 123,066

    Nigelb said:

    Chris Woakes, ouch.

    Dislocated shoulder ?
    Looks like it, I swore like a Glaswegian with Tourette's when I dislocated my finger (and even more so when they put it back in) so I cannot imagine how much pain he must be in right now.
    My Dad dislocated his shoulder when I was a young teenager, at the time I thought I knew all the swear words, but it appears I didn't.....
    Pro tip.

    Avoid dislocating any body part.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 6,145

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    No wonder there are no Piers’s. Naming your child after Piers Morgan should lead to immediate removal into care.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 74,598

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    What the devil?
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 63,921
    Nigelb said:

    Chris Woakes, ouch.

    Dislocated shoulder ?
    Go Woake, go broke?
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 123,066
    ydoethur said:

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    What the devil?
    It's because of this fella.

    One of my favourite shows of all time.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEyOJyYJzY0&list=RDZEyOJyYJzY0&start_radio=1
  • MattWMattW Posts: 28,765

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    What about Boris, Rishi and Keir / Kier....
    Are we finally past Beckham weirdness?

    They are lucky they did not end up with Neasdon Beckham and Penge Beckham.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 60,862

    tlg86 said:

    Everyone's favourite stats release...

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/articles/babynamesexplorer/2019-06-07

    Percentage of boys named Muhammad:

    1996: 0.1%
    2000: 0.3%
    2004: 0.4%
    2008: 0.6%
    2012: 0.9%
    2016: 1.2%
    2020: 1.3%
    2021: 1.3%
    2022: 1.5%
    2023: 1.7%
    2024: 2.1%

    Is that every variation or just that particular spelling?
    That's just the one spelling, and the popularity of the various spellings of Mohammed/Muhammed changes over time too.

    So back in 1996, when the data first starts, Mohammad and Mohammed were both more popular spelling than Muhammad. In fact, back then Muhammad wasn't in the top 100, while the other two spellings were both pretty popular. Now, Muhammad dominates - it's by far the most common spelling.

    There are numerous conclusions: (1) there are more boys today that have a name that is a variation of the spelling of Mohammed than at at any time in the past; (2) you need to look at aggregated numbers; and (3) the rise up the charts is exaggerated by the fragmentation of other names.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 55,360

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    What about Boris, Rishi and Keir / Kier....
    Sunil?
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 86,386
    edited July 31
    rcs1000 said:

    tlg86 said:

    Everyone's favourite stats release...

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/articles/babynamesexplorer/2019-06-07

    Percentage of boys named Muhammad:

    1996: 0.1%
    2000: 0.3%
    2004: 0.4%
    2008: 0.6%
    2012: 0.9%
    2016: 1.2%
    2020: 1.3%
    2021: 1.3%
    2022: 1.5%
    2023: 1.7%
    2024: 2.1%

    Is that every variation or just that particular spelling?
    That's just the one spelling, and the popularity of the various spellings of Mohammed/Muhammed changes over time too.

    So back in 1996, when the data first starts, Mohammad and Mohammed were both more popular spelling than Muhammad. In fact, back then Muhammad wasn't in the top 100, while the other two spellings were both pretty popular. Now, Muhammad dominates - it's by far the most common spelling.

    There are numerous conclusions: (1) there are more boys today that have a name that is a variation of the spelling of Mohammed than at at any time in the past; (2) you need to look at aggregated numbers; and (3) the rise up the charts is exaggerated by the fragmentation of other names.
    I am ignorant on this. Why the variations of the spelling?
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 60,862
    tlg86 said:

    Everyone's favourite stats release...

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/articles/babynamesexplorer/2019-06-07

    Percentage of boys named Muhammad:

    1996: 0.1%
    2000: 0.3%
    2004: 0.4%
    2008: 0.6%
    2012: 0.9%
    2016: 1.2%
    2020: 1.3%
    2021: 1.3%
    2022: 1.5%
    2023: 1.7%
    2024: 2.1%

    And it's not just other names falling. 2024 counts and change from 2023:

    Musa: 731 (up 124)
    Yusuf: 762 (up 112)
    Syed: 391 (up 75)
    Abdul: 338 (up 70)

    (It is worth remembering that wealthy people from Saudi / Qatar /etc come to the Portland Hospital or St John and St Elizabeth to have their babies born in the same place as the Beckams kids. At least 50% of Portland births are to people who are none resident. Now while that will be a relativelty small number in the general scheme of things, it will be hundreds of babies - at least - over the year.)
  • MattWMattW Posts: 28,765

    Nigelb said:

    TOPPING said:

    Andy_JS said:

    TOPPING said:

    MattW said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Andy_JS said:

    ECB admits no evidence Hundred has attracted new fans to other forms of cricket

    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jul/31/ecb-admits-no-evidence-the-hundred-attracted-new-fans-cricket

    It always looks like there're a lot of fans at the games, but that's probably because the game is so short in terms of time.
    The tickets are very cheap / they give away a lot.
    They should make it almost free to attend county matches and then make money from selling food, drinks, merchandise, etc. It would just look a lot better with people in the stands than 95% empty. £5 for adults for children for example. At the moment it's £20 or £25 but that's still quite a lot of money for ordinary people.
    Is that true?

    Look at the numbers who are charged many hundreds every year (thousands if a family?) to go to football as a walking cash cow, and fall for it.
    Because football is a far more exciting game than cricket and neither does cricket excite the same degree of tribal loyalty as the footie.

    Unless I missed the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club Agreeable Upgrade to First Class Rail Crew calling card when last they played Lord's*.





    *I did not, of course, go to Lord's - just using some artistic licence.
    I find cricket far more exciting than football. Just because you have to wait between balls isn't really an argument imo because no-one uses it against tennis which is similar in that respecet.
    Cricket can be exciting at the end of the match when there is a run chase. But that's about it. The actual game play is deathly boring. Football's game play is very exciting.
    Is it ?
    I find football pretty tedious.
    In isolation football's good. For me the problem is the relentless churn of the same league/cup fixtures. It will never finally be decided who has won the football.

    This is why the World Cup and Euros are the best football. Nice self-contained tournaments every 4 years.
    No it isn't. And it gave us Tommy Robinson.

    Next?
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 60,862

    rcs1000 said:

    tlg86 said:

    Everyone's favourite stats release...

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/articles/babynamesexplorer/2019-06-07

    Percentage of boys named Muhammad:

    1996: 0.1%
    2000: 0.3%
    2004: 0.4%
    2008: 0.6%
    2012: 0.9%
    2016: 1.2%
    2020: 1.3%
    2021: 1.3%
    2022: 1.5%
    2023: 1.7%
    2024: 2.1%

    Is that every variation or just that particular spelling?
    That's just the one spelling, and the popularity of the various spellings of Mohammed/Muhammed changes over time too.

    So back in 1996, when the data first starts, Mohammad and Mohammed were both more popular spelling than Muhammad. In fact, back then Muhammad wasn't in the top 100, while the other two spellings were both pretty popular. Now, Muhammad dominates - it's by far the most common spelling.

    There are numerous conclusions: (1) there are more boys today that have a name that is a variation of the spelling of Mohammed than at at any time in the past; (2) you need to look at aggregated numbers; and (3) the rise up the charts is exaggerated by the fragmentation of other names.
    I am ignorant on this. Why the variations of the spelling?
    I have no idea. Fashion, probably.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,756
    This Epstein thing isn't going away for Trump, is it?

    "Epstein was actually still on the Mar-a-Lago membership logs up to 2007. ... That of course is a year after Jeffrey Epstein's arrest in Florida."

    So Trump didn't kick him out for many years after knowing Epstein 'stole' Virginia Giuffre from MAL in 2000.

    https://x.com/rgoodlaw/status/1950343427377549343

  • spudgfshspudgfsh Posts: 1,577

    rcs1000 said:

    tlg86 said:

    Everyone's favourite stats release...

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/articles/babynamesexplorer/2019-06-07

    Percentage of boys named Muhammad:

    1996: 0.1%
    2000: 0.3%
    2004: 0.4%
    2008: 0.6%
    2012: 0.9%
    2016: 1.2%
    2020: 1.3%
    2021: 1.3%
    2022: 1.5%
    2023: 1.7%
    2024: 2.1%

    Is that every variation or just that particular spelling?
    That's just the one spelling, and the popularity of the various spellings of Mohammed/Muhammed changes over time too.

    So back in 1996, when the data first starts, Mohammad and Mohammed were both more popular spelling than Muhammad. In fact, back then Muhammad wasn't in the top 100, while the other two spellings were both pretty popular. Now, Muhammad dominates - it's by far the most common spelling.

    There are numerous conclusions: (1) there are more boys today that have a name that is a variation of the spelling of Mohammed than at at any time in the past; (2) you need to look at aggregated numbers; and (3) the rise up the charts is exaggerated by the fragmentation of other names.
    I am ignorant on this. Why the variations of the spelling?
    I was told by someone I work with, when I misspelt their name, it was due to the different variants of Islam. That may have been BS though
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 86,386
    edited July 31
    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    tlg86 said:

    Everyone's favourite stats release...

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/articles/babynamesexplorer/2019-06-07

    Percentage of boys named Muhammad:

    1996: 0.1%
    2000: 0.3%
    2004: 0.4%
    2008: 0.6%
    2012: 0.9%
    2016: 1.2%
    2020: 1.3%
    2021: 1.3%
    2022: 1.5%
    2023: 1.7%
    2024: 2.1%

    Is that every variation or just that particular spelling?
    That's just the one spelling, and the popularity of the various spellings of Mohammed/Muhammed changes over time too.

    So back in 1996, when the data first starts, Mohammad and Mohammed were both more popular spelling than Muhammad. In fact, back then Muhammad wasn't in the top 100, while the other two spellings were both pretty popular. Now, Muhammad dominates - it's by far the most common spelling.

    There are numerous conclusions: (1) there are more boys today that have a name that is a variation of the spelling of Mohammed than at at any time in the past; (2) you need to look at aggregated numbers; and (3) the rise up the charts is exaggerated by the fragmentation of other names.
    I am ignorant on this. Why the variations of the spelling?
    I have no idea. Fashion, probably.
    I was presuming it was something to do with language spoken by parents / family origins or different sects of Islam?
  • BlancheLivermoreBlancheLivermore Posts: 6,511
    In this 1991 Van Halen video for Pouncake, off the album For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, 'Power Drill Girl' from about three minutes in, is one of my neighbours

    I've just eaten a slice of the delicious Bakewell tart she made for me

    https://youtu.be/1uF5xMhfp1c

  • MustaphaMondeoMustaphaMondeo Posts: 347
    ydoethur said:

    Bad news from Diddly Squat. We’ve gone down with TB. Everyone here is absolutely devastated.
    https://x.com/JeremyClarkson/status/1950911254056272374

    The Badger Lobby: 'It was caused by the pixies.'

    (I exaggerate only slightly.)
    eek said:

    ydoethur said:

    Bad news from Diddly Squat. We’ve gone down with TB. Everyone here is absolutely devastated.
    https://x.com/JeremyClarkson/status/1950911254056272374

    Oh God, please don’t let anything happen to Endgame, he was the star of the last season.
    Test inconclusive, so retest will be needed. Not usually a good sign.
    Bugger.
    So will the next series be cull badgers because they spread TB or don’t cull badgers as it restricts the distances badgers “cover”
    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    ydoethur said:

    Bad news from Diddly Squat. We’ve gone down with TB. Everyone here is absolutely devastated.
    https://x.com/JeremyClarkson/status/1950911254056272374

    Oh God, please don’t let anything happen to Endgame, he was the star of the last season.
    Test inconclusive, so retest will be needed. Not usually a good sign.
    Bugger.
    So will the next series be cull badgers because they spread TB or don’t cull badgers as it restricts the distances badgers “cover”
    Unfortunately, because we have dithered over what to do about TB in badgers for forty years it's rather too late to deal with the situation whether we cull or don't cull.

    Before he died three years ago my father (who was quite heavily involved in all of this) said that it was so widespread and endemic in badgers that culling would likely not make much difference. Nor would vaccination as there would be no way of vaccinating prior to infection, which normally occurs in the first few days of life.

    So unless a way of vaccinating cattle without compromising their disease-free status can be found, we're a bit buggered, and so far nobody has.

    While if we had culled badgers in TB hotspots thirty years ago, we might have eliminated the problem altogether.

    Well done badger lobby, how to get it spectacularly backwards.
    Missing some relevant nuance here.

    There is a test that identifies TB vs Vaccinated, but it is thought too expensive for Eastern European farmers to use to import British livestock.

    We are killing our wildlife to protect the option to import being affordable to people that rarely import our animals.

    My priority would be to vaccinate badgers and cows. If we did that we could stop the poor biosecurity of our farms and the spiral of infection damaging our local environment and our economy.


    Trade law does this to us. You may have noticed ash dieback? It’s costing us billions to keep our highways safe.

    The original license to import trees was dropped by the government in about 2004 ish. The garden centres that lobbied for the option to import are reputed to have had a less than 20m turnover.

  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 123,066
    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    tlg86 said:

    Everyone's favourite stats release...

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/articles/babynamesexplorer/2019-06-07

    Percentage of boys named Muhammad:

    1996: 0.1%
    2000: 0.3%
    2004: 0.4%
    2008: 0.6%
    2012: 0.9%
    2016: 1.2%
    2020: 1.3%
    2021: 1.3%
    2022: 1.5%
    2023: 1.7%
    2024: 2.1%

    Is that every variation or just that particular spelling?
    That's just the one spelling, and the popularity of the various spellings of Mohammed/Muhammed changes over time too.

    So back in 1996, when the data first starts, Mohammad and Mohammed were both more popular spelling than Muhammad. In fact, back then Muhammad wasn't in the top 100, while the other two spellings were both pretty popular. Now, Muhammad dominates - it's by far the most common spelling.

    There are numerous conclusions: (1) there are more boys today that have a name that is a variation of the spelling of Mohammed than at at any time in the past; (2) you need to look at aggregated numbers; and (3) the rise up the charts is exaggerated by the fragmentation of other names.
    I am ignorant on this. Why the variations of the spelling?
    I have no idea. Fashion, probably.
    It's more regional variation/accent.

    My antecedents go for the Mohammed (pronounced Mo hammed), other parts of the world go for Muhammed (pronounced Muu hammad).

    It's a bit like how people in France and England pronounce David differently.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 27,020
    Okay @rcs1000 - here is the total percentage for following spellings:

    Muhammad
    Mohammed
    Mohammad
    Muhammed
    Mohamed
    Mohamad
    Muhamad
    Muhamed
    Mohammod

    1996: 1.1%
    2000: 1.6%
    2004: 2.0%
    2008: 2.2%
    2012: 2.3%
    2016: 2.4%
    2020: 2.4%
    2021: 2.3%
    2022: 2.6%
    2023: 2.8%
    2024: 3.3%
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 86,386
    edited July 31
    MattW said:

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    What about Boris, Rishi and Keir / Kier....
    Are we finally past Beckham weirdness?

    They are lucky they did not end up with Neasdon Beckham and Penge Beckham.
    I think it probably peaked when kids were turning up at nursery called B&M, TJ (Maxx) and Poundland....
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,756

    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    tlg86 said:

    Everyone's favourite stats release...

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/articles/babynamesexplorer/2019-06-07

    Percentage of boys named Muhammad:

    1996: 0.1%
    2000: 0.3%
    2004: 0.4%
    2008: 0.6%
    2012: 0.9%
    2016: 1.2%
    2020: 1.3%
    2021: 1.3%
    2022: 1.5%
    2023: 1.7%
    2024: 2.1%

    Is that every variation or just that particular spelling?
    That's just the one spelling, and the popularity of the various spellings of Mohammed/Muhammed changes over time too.

    So back in 1996, when the data first starts, Mohammad and Mohammed were both more popular spelling than Muhammad. In fact, back then Muhammad wasn't in the top 100, while the other two spellings were both pretty popular. Now, Muhammad dominates - it's by far the most common spelling.

    There are numerous conclusions: (1) there are more boys today that have a name that is a variation of the spelling of Mohammed than at at any time in the past; (2) you need to look at aggregated numbers; and (3) the rise up the charts is exaggerated by the fragmentation of other names.
    I am ignorant on this. Why the variations of the spelling?
    I have no idea. Fashion, probably.
    I was presuming it was something to do with language spoken by parents / family origins or different sects of Islam?
    Won't it also just be the sheer number of times the name has been anglicised over many years ?
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 32,040

    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    tlg86 said:

    Everyone's favourite stats release...

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/articles/babynamesexplorer/2019-06-07

    Percentage of boys named Muhammad:

    1996: 0.1%
    2000: 0.3%
    2004: 0.4%
    2008: 0.6%
    2012: 0.9%
    2016: 1.2%
    2020: 1.3%
    2021: 1.3%
    2022: 1.5%
    2023: 1.7%
    2024: 2.1%

    Is that every variation or just that particular spelling?
    That's just the one spelling, and the popularity of the various spellings of Mohammed/Muhammed changes over time too.

    So back in 1996, when the data first starts, Mohammad and Mohammed were both more popular spelling than Muhammad. In fact, back then Muhammad wasn't in the top 100, while the other two spellings were both pretty popular. Now, Muhammad dominates - it's by far the most common spelling.

    There are numerous conclusions: (1) there are more boys today that have a name that is a variation of the spelling of Mohammed than at at any time in the past; (2) you need to look at aggregated numbers; and (3) the rise up the charts is exaggerated by the fragmentation of other names.
    I am ignorant on this. Why the variations of the spelling?
    I have no idea. Fashion, probably.
    I was presuming it was something to do with language spoken by parents / family origins or different sects of Islam?
    Different transliterations from non-Roman alphabets perhaps?
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 13,122

    MattW said:

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    What about Boris, Rishi and Keir / Kier....
    Are we finally past Beckham weirdness?

    They are lucky they did not end up with Neasdon Beckham and Penge Beckham.
    I think it probably peaked when kids were turning up at nursery called B&M, TJ (Maxx) and Poundland....
    Or my firstborn, Bins Out The Back Of Spoons Woolie
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 52,565
    edited July 31
    ydoethur said:

    tlg86 said:

    Everyone's favourite stats release...

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/articles/babynamesexplorer/2019-06-07

    Percentage of boys named Muhammad:

    1996: 0.1%
    2000: 0.3%
    2004: 0.4%
    2008: 0.6%
    2012: 0.9%
    2016: 1.2%
    2020: 1.3%
    2021: 1.3%
    2022: 1.5%
    2023: 1.7%
    2024: 2.1%

    Do you have to? Leon's about due to show up and he's probably well lit by now.
    ...and will have spent the evening with a super rich senior statesman of the world (identity REDACTED) who will have told him that Trump is a fine fellow and that we and our country are all doomed because the proportion of children with Arabic names has risen to a few per cent, and so there will be civil war here breaking out before teatime tomorrow...
  • boulayboulay Posts: 6,711

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    No wonder there are no Piers’s. Naming your child after Piers Morgan should lead to immediate removal into care.
    Imagine how my friend felt, named his son Piers after Piers Gaveston only to find out how utterly embarrassing it was as people thought he had named him after Piers Moron
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 123,066
    135 million quid.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 60,862
    tlg86 said:

    Okay @rcs1000 - here is the total percentage for following spellings:

    Muhammad
    Mohammed
    Mohammad
    Muhammed
    Mohamed
    Mohamad
    Muhamad
    Muhamed
    Mohammod

    1996: 1.1%
    2000: 1.6%
    2004: 2.0%
    2008: 2.2%
    2012: 2.3%
    2016: 2.4%
    2020: 2.4%
    2021: 2.3%
    2022: 2.6%
    2023: 2.8%
    2024: 3.3%

    Thank you: it's fascinating how little move there was between (say) 2004 and 2021. In total, the fracxtion went from 2.2% to 2.3% (and indeed fell between 2016 and 2021).

    But then there's been a huge move in the last three years.
  • MustaphaMondeoMustaphaMondeo Posts: 347
    MattW said:

    Local Council Dodginess Update :scream: .

    Checking, the Deputy Leader of Ashfield Council has an extra three lots of criminal convictions from the last 18 months. This follows on from the previous two below, and the ones before that I do not mention.

    He went down the short traffic calmed High Street in his Land Rover Effete, also called Evoque. followed by an unmarked police car complete with blue lights flashing, at 65mph "after a night at the bingo". He then pulled into a petrol station, and reversed into the police car.

    He's built up quite the criminal record over the last decade, the most remarkable being making a police phone call to 999 when arguing with his neighbour about a hot tub, and putting on a "keep ... keep away from me with that knife" pantomime to the emergency operator.

    Meanwhile his neighbours wife was videoing him with his phone.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-63010292

    He now has another three from the last 18 months. Non-disclosure of financial interest, and four our of control dangerous dogs in a public place, and obstructing the police investigating dangerous dogs.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/nottinghamshire-b2490754.html
    https://www.chad.co.uk/news/crime/ashfield-council-deputy-leader-tom-hollis-in-court-over-dangerously-out-of-control-dogs-5194984)


    He's lost a lot of his vote, but still won last time. He is still in post as Deputy Leader, and not disqualified.

    We are difficult to shift. I was told that I was unsackable for anything below a prison sentence of a year and a day.

    So - 🤯🔫🦹‍♂️ is not allowed!
    But most everything else is okay.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 86,386

    135 million quid.

    I told you to keep my job offer from Meta a secret...
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 27,020

    135 million quid.

    Have you accidentally entered your pay negotiation in PB instead of an email?
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 123,066
    tlg86 said:

    135 million quid.

    Have you accidentally entered your pay negotiation in PB instead of an email?
    Not quite.

    Was my expectation of the price Liverpool are going to pay for Alexander Isak.

    (Was meant for a WhatsApp but I copied and pasted the wrong thing here.)
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,756
    tlg86 said:

    135 million quid.

    Have you accidentally entered your pay negotiation in PB instead of an email?
    Shoe budget for next year.
    Slightly excessive, IMO.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,756
    boulay said:

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    No wonder there are no Piers’s. Naming your child after Piers Morgan should lead to immediate removal into care.
    Imagine how my friend felt, named his son Piers after Piers Gaveston only to find out how utterly embarrassing it was as people thought he had named him after Piers Moron
    Imagine sharing a name with Farage.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,606
    rcs1000 said:

    tlg86 said:

    Okay @rcs1000 - here is the total percentage for following spellings:

    Muhammad
    Mohammed
    Mohammad
    Muhammed
    Mohamed
    Mohamad
    Muhamad
    Muhamed
    Mohammod

    1996: 1.1%
    2000: 1.6%
    2004: 2.0%
    2008: 2.2%
    2012: 2.3%
    2016: 2.4%
    2020: 2.4%
    2021: 2.3%
    2022: 2.6%
    2023: 2.8%
    2024: 3.3%

    Thank you: it's fascinating how little move there was between (say) 2004 and 2021. In total, the fracxtion went from 2.2% to 2.3% (and indeed fell between 2016 and 2021).

    But then there's been a huge move in the last three years.
    boats on steroids
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 123,066
    Nigelb said:

    boulay said:

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    No wonder there are no Piers’s. Naming your child after Piers Morgan should lead to immediate removal into care.
    Imagine how my friend felt, named his son Piers after Piers Gaveston only to find out how utterly embarrassing it was as people thought he had named him after Piers Moron
    Imagine sharing a name with Farage.
    Could be worse. Imagine sharing a name with Donald.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 52,565
    edited July 31

    rcs1000 said:

    tlg86 said:

    Everyone's favourite stats release...

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/articles/babynamesexplorer/2019-06-07

    Percentage of boys named Muhammad:

    1996: 0.1%
    2000: 0.3%
    2004: 0.4%
    2008: 0.6%
    2012: 0.9%
    2016: 1.2%
    2020: 1.3%
    2021: 1.3%
    2022: 1.5%
    2023: 1.7%
    2024: 2.1%

    Is that every variation or just that particular spelling?
    That's just the one spelling, and the popularity of the various spellings of Mohammed/Muhammed changes over time too.

    So back in 1996, when the data first starts, Mohammad and Mohammed were both more popular spelling than Muhammad. In fact, back then Muhammad wasn't in the top 100, while the other two spellings were both pretty popular. Now, Muhammad dominates - it's by far the most common spelling.

    There are numerous conclusions: (1) there are more boys today that have a name that is a variation of the spelling of Mohammed than at at any time in the past; (2) you need to look at aggregated numbers; and (3) the rise up the charts is exaggerated by the fragmentation of other names.
    I am ignorant on this. Why the variations of the spelling?
    Presumably because it's generally written in squiggles ?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,756
    GOP senators vote for a $1bn bung to Trump.

    I offered the amendment. Not to refuse acceptance of the Qatari jet; just to prohibit Trump from taking it with him when he leaves office - after the taxpayers spend $1 billion to retrofit it.

    Failed 14-15. Every single Republican voted to allow Trump to take the jet.

    https://x.com/ChrisMurphyCT/status/1950933899195887657
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 86,386
    Theodore is up there in the list. Am I missing somebody famous with that name or is this common people like they have done with the double barrel, decided that giving their kids a super posho name is the next meta?
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 32,040
    boulay said:

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    No wonder there are no Piers’s. Naming your child after Piers Morgan should lead to immediate removal into care.
    Imagine how my friend felt, named his son Piers after Piers Gaveston only to find out how utterly embarrassing it was as people thought he had named him after Piers Moron
    Piers Gaveston as in David Cameron's willy and a pig's head?
  • MattWMattW Posts: 28,765
    spudgfsh said:

    rcs1000 said:

    tlg86 said:

    Everyone's favourite stats release...

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/articles/babynamesexplorer/2019-06-07

    Percentage of boys named Muhammad:

    1996: 0.1%
    2000: 0.3%
    2004: 0.4%
    2008: 0.6%
    2012: 0.9%
    2016: 1.2%
    2020: 1.3%
    2021: 1.3%
    2022: 1.5%
    2023: 1.7%
    2024: 2.1%

    Is that every variation or just that particular spelling?
    That's just the one spelling, and the popularity of the various spellings of Mohammed/Muhammed changes over time too.

    So back in 1996, when the data first starts, Mohammad and Mohammed were both more popular spelling than Muhammad. In fact, back then Muhammad wasn't in the top 100, while the other two spellings were both pretty popular. Now, Muhammad dominates - it's by far the most common spelling.

    There are numerous conclusions: (1) there are more boys today that have a name that is a variation of the spelling of Mohammed than at at any time in the past; (2) you need to look at aggregated numbers; and (3) the rise up the charts is exaggerated by the fragmentation of other names.
    I am ignorant on this. Why the variations of the spelling?
    I was told by someone I work with, when I misspelt their name, it was due to the different variants of Islam. That may have been BS though
    See also "Muslim" and "Moslem".

    I don't know the answer without going and looking it up, but it looks like a parallel.

    It could also be to do with language, and transliteration.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 13,122

    Theodore is up there in the list. Am I missing somebody famous with that name or is this common people like they have done with the double barrel, decided that giving their kids a super posho name is the next meta?

    People naming children are worse humans than people planning weddings.
    Assigned names is first law change of the Woolie Revolution
  • boulayboulay Posts: 6,711

    boulay said:

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    No wonder there are no Piers’s. Naming your child after Piers Morgan should lead to immediate removal into care.
    Imagine how my friend felt, named his son Piers after Piers Gaveston only to find out how utterly embarrassing it was as people thought he had named him after Piers Moron
    Piers Gaveston as in David Cameron's willy and a pig's head?
    I wasn’t being serious. Was joking that being mistaken for being named after Piers Morgan would be worse than Piers Gaveston.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 60,862
    HYUFD said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Sean_F said:

    Andy_JS said:

    "Tulip Siddiq to face corruption trial in Bangladesh
    Former anti-corruption minister is alleged to have illegally received land from despot aunt’s government"

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/31/tulip-siddiq-corruption-trial-bangladesh-labour-hasina

    Hampstead and Highgate. GREEN/YOURPARTY GAIN
    The area has more LibDem councillors than Green ones. I think it goes Lab, LibDem, Con, Green. The local LibDems have selected a candidate already.

    At the general election, it was...

    Labour 48%
    Conservative 17%
    Green 14%
    Liberal Democrats 13%
    Reform UK 6%
    Rejoin EU 1%
    Independent 1%
    In by-election conditions, I think that the Lib Dems would take it.

    In theory, Reform might hit second place, but I expect any increase in their vote will lag far behind the national average.
    Id be backing Green/Corbyn myself but we will see if it happens i suppose
    The Tories arent taking it, that much is certain
    We do abut Islington North, Corbyn's seat, and a Your Party-associated candidate (then standing as an independent) came second in the constituency to our south, Holborn & St Pancras. However, the constituency we are perhaps most like and with which we share the longest border is Finchley & Golders Green.
    I guess I'm basing it on progress in 2024 and where I see a 'protest' vote going at the moment. I just think the Green/Corbyn style of London candidate has a better claim at the moment than a LD one and is running ahead on votes last time.LDs have to construct an argument from fourth.
    That said I don't know the area so its entirely feels based
    The Westerly part of the constituency, around Queen's Park and Kilburn is younger and more likely to go Your Party / Green. But Belsize Park, West Hampstead and Hampstead itself are all very wealthy areas, and quite a bit older. They are much more likely LibDemmy than Green, and they aren't Your Party at all.

    I suspect that the Labour vote in Hampstead and environs would most go LibDem in protest, and they might even pick up some of the more Remainy Conservatives.

    For Your Party / the Greens to have a serious chance, they would (a) need not to be competing with each other, and (b) would have to flood the seat with activists, leaflets, etc to make themselves the obvious challenger. The LDs are the masters at that; it will be interesting to see if either the Greens or Your Party is able to do similar.
    Hampstead town certainly won't go YourParty, indeed the Tories came top in the ward even in 2022 and the Tories were still second in Hampstead and Highgate at the general election with the Greens third, just ahead of the LDs
    True: but remember it's now Hampstead and Kilburn, so the constituency has changed somewhat.
  • No_Offence_AlanNo_Offence_Alan Posts: 5,143
    MattW said:

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    What about Boris, Rishi and Keir / Kier....
    Are we finally past Beckham weirdness?

    They are lucky they did not end up with Neasdon Beckham and Penge Beckham.
    The Beckhams named their kid Brooklyn because that is where he was conceived.
    I have always wondered about people named Otis.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,756
    edited July 31

    Theodore is up there in the list. Am I missing somebody famous with that name or is this common people like they have done with the double barrel, decided that giving their kids a super posho name is the next meta?

    Aren't there a few actors and footballers called Theo ?

    also, Dr Seuss.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 52,565
    edited July 31
    rcs1000 said:

    HYUFD said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Sean_F said:

    Andy_JS said:

    "Tulip Siddiq to face corruption trial in Bangladesh
    Former anti-corruption minister is alleged to have illegally received land from despot aunt’s government"

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/31/tulip-siddiq-corruption-trial-bangladesh-labour-hasina

    Hampstead and Highgate. GREEN/YOURPARTY GAIN
    The area has more LibDem councillors than Green ones. I think it goes Lab, LibDem, Con, Green. The local LibDems have selected a candidate already.

    At the general election, it was...

    Labour 48%
    Conservative 17%
    Green 14%
    Liberal Democrats 13%
    Reform UK 6%
    Rejoin EU 1%
    Independent 1%
    In by-election conditions, I think that the Lib Dems would take it.

    In theory, Reform might hit second place, but I expect any increase in their vote will lag far behind the national average.
    Id be backing Green/Corbyn myself but we will see if it happens i suppose
    The Tories arent taking it, that much is certain
    We do abut Islington North, Corbyn's seat, and a Your Party-associated candidate (then standing as an independent) came second in the constituency to our south, Holborn & St Pancras. However, the constituency we are perhaps most like and with which we share the longest border is Finchley & Golders Green.
    I guess I'm basing it on progress in 2024 and where I see a 'protest' vote going at the moment. I just think the Green/Corbyn style of London candidate has a better claim at the moment than a LD one and is running ahead on votes last time.LDs have to construct an argument from fourth.
    That said I don't know the area so its entirely feels based
    The Westerly part of the constituency, around Queen's Park and Kilburn is younger and more likely to go Your Party / Green. But Belsize Park, West Hampstead and Hampstead itself are all very wealthy areas, and quite a bit older. They are much more likely LibDemmy than Green, and they aren't Your Party at all.

    I suspect that the Labour vote in Hampstead and environs would most go LibDem in protest, and they might even pick up some of the more Remainy Conservatives.

    For Your Party / the Greens to have a serious chance, they would (a) need not to be competing with each other, and (b) would have to flood the seat with activists, leaflets, etc to make themselves the obvious challenger. The LDs are the masters at that; it will be interesting to see if either the Greens or Your Party is able to do similar.
    Hampstead town certainly won't go YourParty, indeed the Tories came top in the ward even in 2022 and the Tories were still second in Hampstead and Highgate at the general election with the Greens third, just ahead of the LDs
    True: but remember it's now Hampstead and Kilburn, so the constituency has changed somewhat.
    It still includes H & H, but stretches down into the better end of Primrose Hill (not quite as far as to where the more grotty Camden bedsits are), but otherwise isn't that different from H&H was when I fought my first council election, unsuccessfully, there, so many decades back.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 28,765
    edited July 31

    MattW said:

    Local Council Dodginess Update :scream: .

    Checking, the Deputy Leader of Ashfield Council has an extra three lots of criminal convictions from the last 18 months. This follows on from the previous two below, and the ones before that I do not mention.

    He went down the short traffic calmed High Street in his Land Rover Effete, also called Evoque. followed by an unmarked police car complete with blue lights flashing, at 65mph "after a night at the bingo". He then pulled into a petrol station, and reversed into the police car.

    He's built up quite the criminal record over the last decade, the most remarkable being making a police phone call to 999 when arguing with his neighbour about a hot tub, and putting on a "keep ... keep away from me with that knife" pantomime to the emergency operator.

    Meanwhile his neighbours wife was videoing him with his phone.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-63010292

    He now has another three from the last 18 months. Non-disclosure of financial interest, and four our of control dangerous dogs in a public place, and obstructing the police investigating dangerous dogs.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/nottinghamshire-b2490754.html
    https://www.chad.co.uk/news/crime/ashfield-council-deputy-leader-tom-hollis-in-court-over-dangerously-out-of-control-dogs-5194984)


    He's lost a lot of his vote, but still won last time. He is still in post as Deputy Leader, and not disqualified.

    We are difficult to shift. I was told that I was unsackable for anything below a prison sentence of a year and a day.

    So - 🤯🔫🦹‍♂️ is not allowed!
    But most everything else is okay.
    I saw something about 3 months in prison or suspended in a Govt consultation, somewhere.

    He was Reformed out as a County Councillor last May (they lost 9 from 10), and I'm predicting the same for District next May. Unless he turns his coat, which could happen.

    Zadrozny in the Crown Court next year will be an interesting one.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 13,122
    Nigelb said:

    Theodore is up there in the list. Am I missing somebody famous with that name or is this common people like they have done with the double barrel, decided that giving their kids a super posho name is the next meta?

    Aren't there a few actors and footballers called Theo ?
    Surely they are all naming their kids for Vincent Van Goghs younger brother Theo??
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 86,386
    edited July 31
    Nigelb said:

    Theodore is up there in the list. Am I missing somebody famous with that name or is this common people like they have done with the double barrel, decided that giving their kids a super posho name is the next meta?

    Aren't there a few actors and footballers called Theo ?

    also, Dr Seuss.
    Arhh, the actor who is the lead in the Gentleman and in things like the White Lotus tv shows is called Theodore.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 129,233
    rcs1000 said:

    HYUFD said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Sean_F said:

    Andy_JS said:

    "Tulip Siddiq to face corruption trial in Bangladesh
    Former anti-corruption minister is alleged to have illegally received land from despot aunt’s government"

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/31/tulip-siddiq-corruption-trial-bangladesh-labour-hasina

    Hampstead and Highgate. GREEN/YOURPARTY GAIN
    The area has more LibDem councillors than Green ones. I think it goes Lab, LibDem, Con, Green. The local LibDems have selected a candidate already.

    At the general election, it was...

    Labour 48%
    Conservative 17%
    Green 14%
    Liberal Democrats 13%
    Reform UK 6%
    Rejoin EU 1%
    Independent 1%
    In by-election conditions, I think that the Lib Dems would take it.

    In theory, Reform might hit second place, but I expect any increase in their vote will lag far behind the national average.
    Id be backing Green/Corbyn myself but we will see if it happens i suppose
    The Tories arent taking it, that much is certain
    We do abut Islington North, Corbyn's seat, and a Your Party-associated candidate (then standing as an independent) came second in the constituency to our south, Holborn & St Pancras. However, the constituency we are perhaps most like and with which we share the longest border is Finchley & Golders Green.
    I guess I'm basing it on progress in 2024 and where I see a 'protest' vote going at the moment. I just think the Green/Corbyn style of London candidate has a better claim at the moment than a LD one and is running ahead on votes last time.LDs have to construct an argument from fourth.
    That said I don't know the area so its entirely feels based
    The Westerly part of the constituency, around Queen's Park and Kilburn is younger and more likely to go Your Party / Green. But Belsize Park, West Hampstead and Hampstead itself are all very wealthy areas, and quite a bit older. They are much more likely LibDemmy than Green, and they aren't Your Party at all.

    I suspect that the Labour vote in Hampstead and environs would most go LibDem in protest, and they might even pick up some of the more Remainy Conservatives.

    For Your Party / the Greens to have a serious chance, they would (a) need not to be competing with each other, and (b) would have to flood the seat with activists, leaflets, etc to make themselves the obvious challenger. The LDs are the masters at that; it will be interesting to see if either the Greens or Your Party is able to do similar.
    Hampstead town certainly won't go YourParty, indeed the Tories came top in the ward even in 2022 and the Tories were still second in Hampstead and Highgate at the general election with the Greens third, just ahead of the LDs
    True: but remember it's now Hampstead and Kilburn, so the constituency has changed somewhat.
    No, it is now back to Hampstead and Highgate
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampstead_and_Highgate_(UK_Parliament_constituency)
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 13,122

    Nigelb said:

    Theodore is up there in the list. Am I missing somebody famous with that name or is this common people like they have done with the double barrel, decided that giving their kids a super posho name is the next meta?

    Aren't there a few actors and footballers called Theo ?

    also, Dr Seuss.
    Arhh, the actor who is the lead in the Gentleman and in things like the White Lotus tv shows is called Theodore.
    And people are drooling celeb obsessed morons. The maths works out
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 13,122
    edited July 31
    HYUFD said:

    rcs1000 said:

    HYUFD said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Sean_F said:

    Andy_JS said:

    "Tulip Siddiq to face corruption trial in Bangladesh
    Former anti-corruption minister is alleged to have illegally received land from despot aunt’s government"

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/31/tulip-siddiq-corruption-trial-bangladesh-labour-hasina

    Hampstead and Highgate. GREEN/YOURPARTY GAIN
    The area has more LibDem councillors than Green ones. I think it goes Lab, LibDem, Con, Green. The local LibDems have selected a candidate already.

    At the general election, it was...

    Labour 48%
    Conservative 17%
    Green 14%
    Liberal Democrats 13%
    Reform UK 6%
    Rejoin EU 1%
    Independent 1%
    In by-election conditions, I think that the Lib Dems would take it.

    In theory, Reform might hit second place, but I expect any increase in their vote will lag far behind the national average.
    Id be backing Green/Corbyn myself but we will see if it happens i suppose
    The Tories arent taking it, that much is certain
    We do abut Islington North, Corbyn's seat, and a Your Party-associated candidate (then standing as an independent) came second in the constituency to our south, Holborn & St Pancras. However, the constituency we are perhaps most like and with which we share the longest border is Finchley & Golders Green.
    I guess I'm basing it on progress in 2024 and where I see a 'protest' vote going at the moment. I just think the Green/Corbyn style of London candidate has a better claim at the moment than a LD one and is running ahead on votes last time.LDs have to construct an argument from fourth.
    That said I don't know the area so its entirely feels based
    The Westerly part of the constituency, around Queen's Park and Kilburn is younger and more likely to go Your Party / Green. But Belsize Park, West Hampstead and Hampstead itself are all very wealthy areas, and quite a bit older. They are much more likely LibDemmy than Green, and they aren't Your Party at all.

    I suspect that the Labour vote in Hampstead and environs would most go LibDem in protest, and they might even pick up some of the more Remainy Conservatives.

    For Your Party / the Greens to have a serious chance, they would (a) need not to be competing with each other, and (b) would have to flood the seat with activists, leaflets, etc to make themselves the obvious challenger. The LDs are the masters at that; it will be interesting to see if either the Greens or Your Party is able to do similar.
    Hampstead town certainly won't go YourParty, indeed the Tories came top in the ward even in 2022 and the Tories were still second in Hampstead and Highgate at the general election with the Greens third, just ahead of the LDs
    True: but remember it's now Hampstead and Kilburn, so the constituency has changed somewhat.
    No, it is now back to Hampstead and Highgate
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampstead_and_Highgate_(UK_Parliament_constituency)
    Kilburn is now at least partly in the Queens Park seat
  • MattWMattW Posts: 28,765

    Theodore is up there in the list. Am I missing somebody famous with that name or is this common people like they have done with the double barrel, decided that giving their kids a super posho name is the next meta?

    Theo Walcott?

    That's football - so downmarket not upmarket.

  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 86,386

    Nigelb said:

    Theodore is up there in the list. Am I missing somebody famous with that name or is this common people like they have done with the double barrel, decided that giving their kids a super posho name is the next meta?

    Aren't there a few actors and footballers called Theo ?

    also, Dr Seuss.
    Arhh, the actor who is the lead in the Gentleman and in things like the White Lotus tv shows is called Theodore.
    And people are drooling celeb obsessed morons. The maths works out
    Maybe Sydney will be top of the pops come next year....
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,756
    Of all the reasons to oppose a ban on politicians' insider trading...

    Rand Paul on voting against the stock trading ban: We discourage successful people from holding office…If Trump were the next president, and some say he might run for a 3rd term, he would be forced to divest everything
    https://x.com/RpsAgainstTrump/status/1950933173321269538
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 13,122

    Nigelb said:

    Theodore is up there in the list. Am I missing somebody famous with that name or is this common people like they have done with the double barrel, decided that giving their kids a super posho name is the next meta?

    Aren't there a few actors and footballers called Theo ?

    also, Dr Seuss.
    Arhh, the actor who is the lead in the Gentleman and in things like the White Lotus tv shows is called Theodore.
    And people are drooling celeb obsessed morons. The maths works out
    Maybe Sydney will be top of the pops come next year....
    Or Bazoombas.
    Bazoombas Woolie, named after your mother's jeans ad my precious
  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 19,314
    Meanwhile, in "heh heh" news,

    69% of Britons say they support the new age verification rules brought in by the Online Safety Act

    This is despite just 24% thinking they will be effective at stopping under-18s accessing porn (down from 34% before the changes came into effect)

    https://bsky.app/profile/yougov.co.uk/post/3lvbi325l2s25
  • boulayboulay Posts: 6,711

    MattW said:

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    What about Boris, Rishi and Keir / Kier....
    Are we finally past Beckham weirdness?

    They are lucky they did not end up with Neasdon Beckham and Penge Beckham.
    The Beckhams named their kid Brooklyn because that is where he was conceived.
    I have always wondered about people named Otis.
    Better Otis than John or Lou.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 86,386

    Meanwhile, in "heh heh" news,

    69% of Britons say they support the new age verification rules brought in by the Online Safety Act

    This is despite just 24% thinking they will be effective at stopping under-18s accessing porn (down from 34% before the changes came into effect)

    https://bsky.app/profile/yougov.co.uk/post/3lvbi325l2s25

    The crucial part of that question is accessing porn...which a lot of the objections people have aren't the crux of the issue.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 6,145

    Theodore is up there in the list. Am I missing somebody famous with that name or is this common people like they have done with the double barrel, decided that giving their kids a super posho name is the next meta?

    People naming children are worse humans than people planning weddings.
    Assigned names is first law change of the Woolie Revolution
    We should name our children the Icelandic way. Woolie Wooliesson and Fairlie Fairliesdottir.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 20,757

    Meanwhile, in "heh heh" news,

    69% of Britons say they support the new age verification rules brought in by the Online Safety Act

    This is despite just 24% thinking they will be effective at stopping under-18s accessing porn (down from 34% before the changes came into effect)

    https://bsky.app/profile/yougov.co.uk/post/3lvbi325l2s25

    These are the same people who wanted to keep the nightclubs closed after Covid
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 6,145

    Nigelb said:

    Theodore is up there in the list. Am I missing somebody famous with that name or is this common people like they have done with the double barrel, decided that giving their kids a super posho name is the next meta?

    Aren't there a few actors and footballers called Theo ?

    also, Dr Seuss.
    Arhh, the actor who is the lead in the Gentleman and in things like the White Lotus tv shows is called Theodore.
    And people are drooling celeb obsessed morons. The maths works out
    Maybe Sydney will be top of the pops come next year....
    That would be devine.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 86,386
    Time to get Ms Sweeney on the phone to see if we would like to drive a JLR car....
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 123,066
    More antisemites.

    Tel Aviv, right now: thousands protest Israel’s starvation of Gaza and relentless killing of its people, calling the government to end the brutal attacks and bring back the hostages.

    https://x.com/BtSIsrael/status/1950966877603209629
  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 19,314
    edited July 31

    Meanwhile, in "heh heh" news,

    69% of Britons say they support the new age verification rules brought in by the Online Safety Act

    This is despite just 24% thinking they will be effective at stopping under-18s accessing porn (down from 34% before the changes came into effect)

    https://bsky.app/profile/yougov.co.uk/post/3lvbi325l2s25

    The crucial part of that question is accessing porn...which a lot of the objections people have aren't the crux of the issue.
    For people who are very online, I agree. But we are a minority.

    And I mostly posted that poll because the percentage amused me. I know...
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 13,122

    Theodore is up there in the list. Am I missing somebody famous with that name or is this common people like they have done with the double barrel, decided that giving their kids a super posho name is the next meta?

    People naming children are worse humans than people planning weddings.
    Assigned names is first law change of the Woolie Revolution
    We should name our children the Icelandic way. Woolie Wooliesson and Fairlie Fairliesdottir.
    Sir Woolie FitzWoolie of the Borders laid waste to the lands and castle of Fairlie MacFairlie after a dispute over Grazing rights
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 86,386
    edited July 31

    Meanwhile, in "heh heh" news,

    69% of Britons say they support the new age verification rules brought in by the Online Safety Act

    This is despite just 24% thinking they will be effective at stopping under-18s accessing porn (down from 34% before the changes came into effect)

    https://bsky.app/profile/yougov.co.uk/post/3lvbi325l2s25

    The crucial part of that question is accessing porn...which a lot of the objections people have aren't the crux of the issue.
    For people who are very online, I agree. But we are a minority.

    And I mostly posted that poll because the percentage amused me. I know...
    Yes, I am sure YouGov had a chuckle too.

    The public clearly don't think it will work though, which is interesting. I don't know if the government gets blame* or just well they tried, so that's something.

    * maybe they public want "paper please" for every website interaction!!!!
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 55,538
    ydoethur said:

    Bad news from Diddly Squat. We’ve gone down with TB. Everyone here is absolutely devastated.
    https://x.com/JeremyClarkson/status/1950911254056272374

    The Badger Lobby: 'It was caused by the pixies.'

    (I exaggerate only slightly.)
    Killing badgers without TB is likely to allow badgers WITH TB to move into their patch.

    Of the top 10 financial losses for farmers, TB came in 11th.

    9 of the other 10 were down to bad husbandry practices.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 63,663
    rcs1000 said:

    tlg86 said:

    Everyone's favourite stats release...

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/articles/babynamesexplorer/2019-06-07

    Percentage of boys named Muhammad:

    1996: 0.1%
    2000: 0.3%
    2004: 0.4%
    2008: 0.6%
    2012: 0.9%
    2016: 1.2%
    2020: 1.3%
    2021: 1.3%
    2022: 1.5%
    2023: 1.7%
    2024: 2.1%

    And it's not just other names falling. 2024 counts and change from 2023:

    Musa: 731 (up 124)
    Yusuf: 762 (up 112)
    Syed: 391 (up 75)
    Abdul: 338 (up 70)

    (It is worth remembering that wealthy people from Saudi / Qatar /etc come to the Portland Hospital or St John and St Elizabeth to have their babies born in the same place as the Beckams kids. At least 50% of Portland births are to people who are none resident. Now while that will be a relativelty small number in the general scheme of things, it will be hundreds of babies - at least - over the year.)
    Yeah. We just need “Janan Ganesh” to tell us that THIS IS FINE

    Meanwhile:

    “Some 1,731 foreign-national sex offenders were in prison as of June this year, up by 9.9 per cent in 12 months. The rate of increase was nearly three times that of Britons, with the number imprisoned for sex offences up 3.8 per cent, according to data published by the Ministry of Justice on Thursday.

    The number of foreign violent offenders held in jails is also at its highest since records began a decade ago. It has risen by 8.8 per cent in a year to 3,250, nearly double the rate of 4.8 per cent for Britons imprisoned for violence.”

    Telegraph - ££
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 13,122

    Time to get Ms Sweeney on the phone to see if we would like to drive a JLR car....
    Take the twins out for a ride in it etc
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 74,598

    Meanwhile, in "heh heh" news,

    69% of Britons say they support the new age verification rules brought in by the Online Safety Act

    This is despite just 24% thinking they will be effective at stopping under-18s accessing porn (down from 34% before the changes came into effect)

    https://bsky.app/profile/yougov.co.uk/post/3lvbi325l2s25

    Two thirds of people are scared of a cabinet minister calling them unSavile?
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 19,695
    edited July 31

    ydoethur said:

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    What the devil?
    It's because of this fella.

    One of my favourite shows of all time.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEyOJyYJzY0&list=RDZEyOJyYJzY0&start_radio=1
    Yep, loved that show. Our boy is named after a certain X-files character, although we often pretend there are other reasons.

    There aren’t.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 6,145

    Meanwhile, in "heh heh" news,

    69% of Britons say they support the new age verification rules brought in by the Online Safety Act

    This is despite just 24% thinking they will be effective at stopping under-18s accessing porn (down from 34% before the changes came into effect)

    https://bsky.app/profile/yougov.co.uk/post/3lvbi325l2s25

    These are the same people who wanted to keep the nightclubs closed after Covid
    The YouGov surveys often show, as in this case, that Reform voters are much more libertarian than Conservative voters. Could this prevent more Conservatives potentially voting Reform, due to ideological differences?
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,606

    MattW said:

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    What about Boris, Rishi and Keir / Kier....
    Are we finally past Beckham weirdness?

    They are lucky they did not end up with Neasdon Beckham and Penge Beckham.
    The Beckhams named their kid Brooklyn because that is where he was conceived.
    I have always wondered about people named Otis.
    Lucky it was not jaywick
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 52,434

    Meanwhile, in "heh heh" news,

    69% of Britons say they support the new age verification rules brought in by the Online Safety Act

    This is despite just 24% thinking they will be effective at stopping under-18s accessing porn (down from 34% before the changes came into effect)

    https://bsky.app/profile/yougov.co.uk/post/3lvbi325l2s25

    Meanwhile, in "heh heh" news,

    69% of Britons say they support the new age verification rules brought in by the Online Safety Act

    This is despite just 24% thinking they will be effective at stopping under-18s accessing porn (down from 34% before the changes came into effect)

    https://bsky.app/profile/yougov.co.uk/post/3lvbi325l2s25

    The crucial part of that question is accessing porn...which a lot of the objections people have aren't the crux of the issue.
    For people who are very online, I agree. But we are a minority.

    And I mostly posted that poll because the percentage amused me. I know...
    And I was told that the Online Safety Act was about to bring down the government Britons with strong right arms hit the streets in a frustrated frenzy of fapping.

    Its almost as if Albanian taxi drivers and eccentric millionaires don't really know anything about the country
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 86,386
    edited July 31
    69% support OSA for porn, 68% say they haven't encountered the OSA so far...

    22% oppose...26% have encountered it.
  • boulayboulay Posts: 6,711

    Time to get Ms Sweeney on the phone to see if we would like to drive a JLR car....
    Take the twins out for a ride in it etc
    “Test drive the new Jaguar DD type today.”
  • boulayboulay Posts: 6,711

    ydoethur said:

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    What the devil?
    It's because of this fella.

    One of my favourite shows of all time.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEyOJyYJzY0&list=RDZEyOJyYJzY0&start_radio=1
    Yep, loved that show. Our boy is named after a certain X-files character, although we often pretend there are other reasons.

    They're aren’t.
    The Smoking Man Tubbs has a nice ring to it.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 74,598
    edited July 31

    ydoethur said:

    Bad news from Diddly Squat. We’ve gone down with TB. Everyone here is absolutely devastated.
    https://x.com/JeremyClarkson/status/1950911254056272374

    The Badger Lobby: 'It was caused by the pixies.'

    (I exaggerate only slightly.)
    Killing badgers without TB is likely to allow badgers WITH TB to move into their patch.

    Of the top 10 financial losses for farmers, TB came in 11th.

    9 of the other 10 were down to bad husbandry practices.
    There are very few badgers left without TB now. That's the issue.

    As for 'bad husbandry,' what is worse husbandry than allowing badgers infected with a disease and transmitting it to livestock on somebody's land?

    I'm beginning to grasp why this disaster has happened. Talking about tests being too expensive when they didn't work, people saying their preferred option despite the actual impossibility of it being vaccinating badgers, and now again the perturbation claim - which was right 25 years ago, but not now - shows just how sterile and unproductive the debate is. And without informed debate, nothing will happen.

    (The irony of the Krebs report which first noted it, and was seized on by activists as a reason not to cull, was that it proved a causal link between TB in badgers and TB in cattle by doing so.)
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 55,538

    135 million quid.

    Sorry, I don't get out of bed for less than £200m...
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 13,122
    edited July 31
    boulay said:

    Time to get Ms Sweeney on the phone to see if we would like to drive a JLR car....
    Take the twins out for a ride in it etc
    “Test drive the new Jaguar DD type today.”
    To be honest she could just look at the camera, giggle and say 'boobs' and money is changing hands
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 19,695
    boulay said:

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    No wonder there are no Piers’s. Naming your child after Piers Morgan should lead to immediate removal into care.
    Imagine how my friend felt, named his son Piers after Piers Gaveston only to find out how utterly embarrassing it was as people thought he had named him after Piers Moron
    I’ve only known one Piers and he was an utter arse. I always wondered if he had been called Dave or Paul if he might not have been such a complete prat.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 6,145

    More antisemites.

    Tel Aviv, right now: thousands protest Israel’s starvation of Gaza and relentless killing of its people, calling the government to end the brutal attacks and bring back the hostages.

    https://x.com/BtSIsrael/status/1950966877603209629

    Antisemitic semites? Whose side will the left be on?
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 74,598
    edited July 31

    More antisemites.

    Tel Aviv, right now: thousands protest Israel’s starvation of Gaza and relentless killing of its people, calling the government to end the brutal attacks and bring back the hostages.

    https://x.com/BtSIsrael/status/1950966877603209629

    Antisemitic semites? Whose side will the left be on?
    Hamas are technically semites...
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 86,386
    edited July 31
    ChatGPT is hallucinating again....

    Small businesses are the beating heart of our high streets, our communities, and our economy. When I said we’d back them all the way, I meant it. Promise made. Promise delivered.

    https://x.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1950938661672951836

    British Retail Consortium poll of Finance Directors covering more than 9,000 UK stores. They fear Reeves will ramp up taxes again this autumn on top of her ‘Awful April’ bills which have already squeezed businesses across the sector…

    The survey also found:

    85% of businesses had been forced to raise prices already.
    56% described trading conditions over the next 12 months as “pessimistic”.
    42% had frozen recruitment.
    38% said they had reduced job numbers in-store.
    38% had reduced investment.
    15% had already delayed opening new stores.
    88% said “tax and regulatory burden” were their biggest financial fears. Up more than 20 percentage points from January…
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 6,145
    boulay said:

    Time to get Ms Sweeney on the phone to see if we would like to drive a JLR car....
    Take the twins out for a ride in it etc
    “Test drive the new Jaguar DD type today.”
    I always thought it was BMW and Audi drivers who were tits.
  • boulayboulay Posts: 6,711

    boulay said:

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    No wonder there are no Piers’s. Naming your child after Piers Morgan should lead to immediate removal into care.
    Imagine how my friend felt, named his son Piers after Piers Gaveston only to find out how utterly embarrassing it was as people thought he had named him after Piers Moron
    I’ve only known one Piers and he was an utter arse. I always wondered if he had been called Dave or Paul if he might not have been such a complete prat.
    Have known quite a few Piers, Brighton was nice. Only joking, I have known many and most were very nice, one a knob.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 27,020

    ydoethur said:

    It's official
    @ONS
    baby name day!
    Here are the names that are dying out
    – A mere 9 boys called Norman last year
    – Rodney = 8
    – Nigel = 5
    – Giles = 3
    And not a single Piers was registered! (If it's 2 or fewer, it's not released for data reasons, so it's possible 2 were)

    In contrast there were 161 boys called Zorawar
    Zakariyya = 63
    Theo-James = 22
    Paris = 14
    London = 7
    Lucifer = 7


    https://x.com/hwallop/status/1950948388754661606

    What the devil?
    It's because of this fella.

    One of my favourite shows of all time.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEyOJyYJzY0&list=RDZEyOJyYJzY0&start_radio=1
    Yep, loved that show. Our boy is named after a certain X-files character, although we often pretend there are other reasons.

    There aren’t.
    I was at school with a boy called Dayna. He got misgendered a lot.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 86,386
    We all all forgetting everybody second favourite Piers....Corbyn...
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 55,538
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    Bad news from Diddly Squat. We’ve gone down with TB. Everyone here is absolutely devastated.
    https://x.com/JeremyClarkson/status/1950911254056272374

    The Badger Lobby: 'It was caused by the pixies.'

    (I exaggerate only slightly.)
    Killing badgers without TB is likely to allow badgers WITH TB to move into their patch.

    Of the top 10 financial losses for farmers, TB came in 11th.

    9 of the other 10 were down to bad husbandry practices.
    There are very few badgers left without TB now. That's the issue.

    As for 'bad husbandry,' what is worse husbandry than allowing badgers infected with a disease and transmitting it to livestock on somebody's land?

    I'm beginning to grasp why this disaster has happened. Talking about tests being too expensive when they didn't work, people saying their preferred option despite the actual impossibility of it being vaccinating badgers, and now again the perturbation claim - which was right 25 years ago, but not now - shows just how sterile and unproductive the debate is. And without informed debate, nothing will happen.

    (The irony of the Krebs report which first noted it, and was seized on by activists as a reason not to cull, was that it proved a causal link between TB in badgers and TB in cattle by doing so.)
    The badgers got hit by a PR exercise by the hedgehogs. Less hedgehog-munching badgers = more badger-food hedgehogs
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 123,066
    Foxy said:

    Meanwhile, in "heh heh" news,

    69% of Britons say they support the new age verification rules brought in by the Online Safety Act

    This is despite just 24% thinking they will be effective at stopping under-18s accessing porn (down from 34% before the changes came into effect)

    https://bsky.app/profile/yougov.co.uk/post/3lvbi325l2s25

    Meanwhile, in "heh heh" news,

    69% of Britons say they support the new age verification rules brought in by the Online Safety Act

    This is despite just 24% thinking they will be effective at stopping under-18s accessing porn (down from 34% before the changes came into effect)

    https://bsky.app/profile/yougov.co.uk/post/3lvbi325l2s25

    The crucial part of that question is accessing porn...which a lot of the objections people have aren't the crux of the issue.
    For people who are very online, I agree. But we are a minority.

    And I mostly posted that poll because the percentage amused me. I know...
    And I was told that the Online Safety Act was about to bring down the government Britons with strong right arms hit the streets in a frustrated frenzy of fapping.

    Its almost as if Albanian taxi drivers and eccentric millionaires don't really know anything about the country
    Nah, the reason public aren't rioting about the OSA is because they rioting about the secret Afghan story.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 55,360

    ydoethur said:

    Bad news from Diddly Squat. We’ve gone down with TB. Everyone here is absolutely devastated.
    https://x.com/JeremyClarkson/status/1950911254056272374

    The Badger Lobby: 'It was caused by the pixies.'

    (I exaggerate only slightly.)
    Killing badgers without TB is likely to allow badgers WITH TB to move into their patch.

    Of the top 10 financial losses for farmers, TB came in 11th.

    9 of the other 10 were down to bad husbandry practices.
    Are the anti-badger people "set" in their ways?
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 52,434

    ydoethur said:

    Bad news from Diddly Squat. We’ve gone down with TB. Everyone here is absolutely devastated.
    https://x.com/JeremyClarkson/status/1950911254056272374

    The Badger Lobby: 'It was caused by the pixies.'

    (I exaggerate only slightly.)
    Killing badgers without TB is likely to allow badgers WITH TB to move into their patch.

    Of the top 10 financial losses for farmers, TB came in 11th.

    9 of the other 10 were down to bad husbandry practices.
    Are the anti-badger people "set" in their ways?
    It first appears quite a black and white issue, but when seen in full is largely shades of grey.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 123,066
    I have been obsessed by badgers.

    For years I wondered who would win a fight between a badger and a baboon.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 86,386
    edited July 31
    Jezza doing a long interview with Owen Jones and talking about how he was right to continually meet with the IRA......somethings never change.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 55,360
    edited July 31

    I have been obsessed by badgers.

    For years I wondered who would win a fight between a badger and a baboon.

    [Harry Hill voice] I like badgers, and I like baboons too. But which is better? There's only one way to find out:

    FIGHT!
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