ChatGPT obviousy still doesn't care about factual information, because they're still giving inaccurate election results. Just tried it again with a question about votes cast at the 1983 election in a random constituency.
I was at the Current Archaeoogy Conference in London a couple of weeks ago. Loads of really interesting talks. One was on notable women in Archaeology, of which there have been plenty over the last century.
To start the talk the two presenters said that they had asked Chat GPT to tell them the 3 most notable men in British Archaeology since 1900 and give a resume of their careers. With a few minor errors the answers provided were broadly correct although of course there is always room for debate in these things.
They then asked Chat GPT to do the same for the 3 most notable women over the same period. The answers duly came back along with resumes, notable achievements, positions held and papers published.
The problem was that none of these women actually existed. These were detailed answers including citations for 3 women who are no more real than Miss Marple.
Of course the lack of immediate women for Chat GPT to seek out and use is part of the problem (though there are dozens of very notable female archaeologists down the years) but it also served to illustrate the problem with LLMs. They are trained to provide answers and when they can't they just make shit up to fulfill their task.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
She has categorically explained that she has been against an offensive war since day one. She says that she only ever supported the notion of a defensive war, and has castigated Starmer for his Iran War flip-floppery.
Kemi and her followers on PB and in the MSM gave Starmer and his government a very hard time for 10 days, calling him wrong for refusing Trump use of our bases for offensive missions, that these days, by not joining with US, Labour are unpatriotic compared to how they were a patriotic party after the war.
How to interpret “British Troops are just hanging around” if it’s not an attack line on the governments stance on involvement?
Also, interestingly, Labour keeping us out of this war was based on its huge failing being a political party of human rights lawyers, stupidly tied up in and in hoc to International Law. So what is the Conservative position of keeping us out of this war actually based on?
I would hope it is based on what is in the British interest. It doesn't seem an unreasonable starting point.
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, I say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Interesting FON poll because it’s yet another one showing very close numbers between multiple parties.
It’s going to play havoc with FPTP if it continues. I think this calls for another ratio, or index. Yes, let’s do an index: the election forecast obfuscation factor, or EF-OFF.
Let’s take the 2019 results as our base, 100 value. Achieved by:
- 1/STDev of the percentages for the 5 national parties plus “other” / - highest party score / second party score - Indexed to 100
Given that a score of 161 in 24 already caused havoc, these current numbers are going to blow the model entirely.
Several interesting factors from that. How does it impact the Local Election models which give us the NEV type things? In a few weeks time, will the Boffins who built models on 2.4 party politics, and TV companies who have paid these boffins for use of them this year, stand by the utter guff 2.4 party political modelling comes up with? It’s now nearer 8.1 party political modelling that is needed.
Just a few months ago it was still safe to say three voting blocks, #Reform - right of centre populist, #Kemi’s Conservatives - right of centre populist, #ProgBloc - Lab/LibDem/Green centre and left lending each other votes to defeat the right of centre candidates. I don’t think we can now include Green in ProgBloc, as Greens under this leader are Populist not Progressive, whilst once Libdem coalesced with Green in elections, Lab and LibDem should now treat Greens in exactly the same way Boris Conservatives treated UKIP: don’t work them, treat them like shit, aggressively devour their voters. Much like the crowding field of right wing Populist outfits already treating each other, syphon votes from each other to survive existential threat.
If a Psephologist claims today they have a great model for parliament seats from polls, and for a NEV from votes, I will call them a pathetic liar.
I agree, until we’ve had a national election under these conditions we really don’t have much of a clue. And frankly, even after the locals I don’t think our clue will be that helpful. Only once we’ve had a general election under these conditions will we know how the new world is going to work.
Time to move to STV, as the Lib Dems have been arguing for decades.
I think the only thing we can rely on, when you’ve been on a good run in local elections, you have a lot of seats, at some point you will lose some. In voters minds, things are never better, in fact everything gets worse, who’s the government/council, time for change.
Whoever is preferred for government, wins general elections in a row, in for 10-12 years. They tend to be hollowed out in catastrophic mid term election nights, even in their heartlands. So when an opposition is trusted with power at Westminster, they are instantly sitting on whole mountain of councillors they will struggle to defend.
It’s been 6 years of very Good Friday afternoons for the LibDems, I think look out for (or bet on) LibDems going backward in seats and councils they’ve picked up during these six years of plenty, losing to Conservatives, Greens, even Labour in a few redwallie places. Or, (and bet accordingly) if the LibDems don’t go backwards - this would be more educational for us about LibDenm chances of Parliamentary seat defences, if Conservatives cannot make in roads against LibDems at local level.
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, eye say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Need to define prestige and power - otherwise yes.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
She has categorically explained that she has been against an offensive war since day one. She says that she only ever supported the notion of a defensive war, and has castigated Starmer for his Iran War flip-floppery.
Kemi and her followers on PB and in the MSM gave Starmer and his government a very hard time for 10 days, calling him wrong for refusing Trump use of our bases for offensive missions, that these days, by not joining with US, Labour are unpatriotic compared to how they were a patriotic party after the war.
How to interpret “British Troops are just hanging around” if it’s not an attack line on the governments stance on involvement?
Also, interestingly, Labour keeping us out of this war was based on its huge failing being a political party of human rights lawyers, stupidly tied up in and in hoc to International Law. So what is the Conservative position of keeping us out of this war actually based on?
She has to pick a fight each day
She has a behavioural issue.
She doesn't know when to stop.
She is unfit for high office
She cannot be allowed to have access to a nuclear key.
Sir Tony Blair told Jeffrey Epstein he had consulted a “wise religious man” for personal advice and discussed the “nature that religion plays in world conflicts” during a meeting in Downing Street, the Epstein files suggest
Epstein: “I met Tony at number 10. He told me then that his future goal was to understand the nature that religion plays in world conflicts. He told me that he had a wise religioius man in Austrailia that he would consult when he needed personal advice.'
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
She has categorically explained that she has been against an offensive war since day one. She says that she only ever supported the notion of a defensive war, and has castigated Starmer for his Iran War flip-floppery.
She may have categorically denied.
She is lying
Sky, BBC various Newspapers tore her pathetic I turn to shreds
That the point Starmer was trying to make yesterday.
Notions of "regime change" and "freedom" for the Iranian people seem to be being sacrificed on the altar of oil prices.
Is Hormuz closed or open?
To this observer, it seems the Gulf States, who haven't been too badly affected by Iranian strikes, are quite happy to see oil prices near $100 a barrel - indeed, one could argue there are a lot of key players for whom higher oil works very well - Vladimir Putin will be happy, Donald Trump seems to be quite happy as well.
Our dependency on oil may not be quite as it was in 1973 but the truth is when supply is low and demand high, those with the oil do very nicely. The balance has been the other way for a while but no longer seemingly.
Looking at the New Zealand news,the domestic airline is cutting services and there's even talk of fuel rationing. Here. I note at my local Tesco's, petrol is 12p per litre higher than it was a fortnight ago.
The Iranian regime is battered and its capability to attack its neighbours reduced but it remains seemingly firmly in control and for all the boasts from Washington, there still seems the ability to hit shipping and oil related infrastructure.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
Some insane idiots actually believe her shit
They need sectioning.
Global oil price rises are all Starmer's fault
That what she is saying.
Well Ed Miliband thinks we can save the climate by setting an example to other countries so why wouldn't the same logic work here?
If we set an example by going to war with Iran and everyone else followed our lead, it would surely be over in no time, leading to a glut of oil on global markets.
Another day, another, well, we'll see, at Cheltenham.
I come on here and read we are going to deport immigrants - I thought we already deported those whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful but it seems instead as was the case once with tax and spend, we are embarking on a dutch auction to see who can be the "hardest" on immigration. A fine example of what happens when your have Government and Opposition positions determined by focus groups and tweets rather than what is good for the country.
It also seems we want to continue with one of our stupidest moves in the past 30-40 years - there's no problem with taking infrastructure out of public hands but we sell it to foreign companies. Fine, we get a nice little sum in the coffers but longer term you end up with the spectacle of British consumers having to pay more for their electricity and gas to foreign companies who use that to subsidise the costs their home customers pay.
Poor foreign people aren't welcome but rich foreign companies are - we begrudge any money going to the former but we are happy to pay more than we should to the latter - makes no sense at all.
How do you explain so many favourites turned over by winners so far out in the betting at this Cheltenham Stodge?
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
Sir Tony Blair told Jeffrey Epstein he had consulted a “wise religious man” for personal advice and discussed the “nature that religion plays in world conflicts” during a meeting in Downing Street, the Epstein files suggest
Epstein: “I met Tony at number 10. He told me then that his future goal was to understand the nature that religion plays in world conflicts. He told me that he had a wise religioius man in Austrailia that he would consult when he needed personal advice.'
Sir Tony Blair told Jeffrey Epstein he had consulted a “wise religious man” for personal advice and discussed the “nature that religion plays in world conflicts” during a meeting in Downing Street, the Epstein files suggest
Epstein: “I met Tony at number 10. He told me then that his future goal was to understand the nature that religion plays in world conflicts. He told me that he had a wise religioius man in Austrailia that he would consult when he needed personal advice.'
I feel like a wise religious man would have better things to do with their time than listen to Tony ramble on faux-philosophically as he sought to make his post-PM career more noble than it probably was.
Notions of "regime change" and "freedom" for the Iranian people seem to be being sacrificed on the altar of oil prices.
Is Hormuz closed or open?
To this observer, it seems the Gulf States, who haven't been too badly affected by Iranian strikes, are quite happy to see oil prices near $100 a barrel - indeed, one could argue there are a lot of key players for whom higher oil works very well - Vladimir Putin will be happy, Donald Trump seems to be quite happy as well.
Our dependency on oil may not be quite as it was in 1973 but the truth is when supply is low and demand high, those with the oil do very nicely. The balance has been the other way for a while but no longer seemingly.
Looking at the New Zealand news,the domestic airline is cutting services and there's even talk of fuel rationing. Here. I note at my local Tesco's, petrol is 12p per litre higher than it was a fortnight ago.
The Iranian regime is battered and its capability to attack its neighbours reduced but it remains seemingly firmly in control and for all the boasts from Washington, there still seems the ability to hit shipping and oil related infrastructure.
I rather suspect Trump is trying to grift some more money from the Gulf Arabs in return for opening Hormuz.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
Some insane idiots actually believe her shit
They need sectioning.
Global oil price rises are all Starmer's fault
That what she is saying.
Well Ed Miliband thinks we can save the climate by setting an example to other countries so why wouldn't the same logic work here?
If we set an example by going to war with Iran and everyone else followed our lead, it would surely be over in no time, leading to a glut of oil on global markets.
You seriously think that. Your off your rocker
Thanks to 14 years and 22% cut in defence spending under Kemi Badenoch Tory Party our Armed Forces are hollowed out.
So let's assume we'd have gone all in, every available plane, ship
What difference would we have made
2% 3%??
Every citizen, city, town, village in this Country would be at risk to soothe the blinking idiots fucking vanity.
Sir Tony Blair told Jeffrey Epstein he had consulted a “wise religious man” for personal advice and discussed the “nature that religion plays in world conflicts” during a meeting in Downing Street, the Epstein files suggest
Epstein: “I met Tony at number 10. He told me then that his future goal was to understand the nature that religion plays in world conflicts. He told me that he had a wise religioius man in Austrailia that he would consult when he needed personal advice.'
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
She has categorically explained that she has been against an offensive war since day one. She says that she only ever supported the notion of a defensive war, and has castigated Starmer for his Iran War flip-floppery.
Kemi and her followers on PB and in the MSM gave Starmer and his government a very hard time for 10 days, calling him wrong for refusing Trump use of our bases for offensive missions, that these days, by not joining with US, Labour are unpatriotic compared to how they were a patriotic party after the war.
How to interpret “British Troops are just hanging around” if it’s not an attack line on the governments stance on involvement?
Also, interestingly, Labour keeping us out of this war was based on its huge failing being a political party of human rights lawyers, stupidly tied up in and in hoc to International Law. So what is the Conservative position of keeping us out of this war actually based on?
She has to pick a fight each day
She has a behavioural issue.
She doesn't know when to stop.
She is unfit for high office
She cannot be allowed to have access to a nuclear key.
Well - I have had soooooo much to drink this afternoon, I am probably embarrassing myself typing in inane drivel thinking it’s insightful, so I will refrain from posting for the rest of the day. 🙋♀️
Run ragged caring for an elderly mother today so only now catching up.
Exceptional post from @TheScreamingEagles with the Dire Straits references. I counted 8. Can’t believe you missed an opportunity to squeeze in “It Never Rains” or “Love over Gold”.
I’m with @MoonRabbit - Starmer has an easy out. Kemi would have preferred us to be involved offensively from the get-go. If she had been PM she would have had to reconcile her position with the increase in the cost of living. Good luck with that…
ChatGPT obviousy still doesn't care about factual information, because they're still giving inaccurate election results. Just tried it again with a question about votes cast at the 1983 election in a random constituency.
I was at the Current Archaeoogy Conference in London a couple of weeks ago. Loads of really interesting talks. One was on notable women in Archaeology, of which there have been plenty over the last century.
To start the talk the two presenters said that they had asked Chat GPT to tell them the 3 most notable men in British Archaeology since 1900 and give a resume of their careers. With a few minor errors the answers provided were broadly correct although of course there is always room for debate in these things.
They then asked Chat GPT to do the same for the 3 most notable women over the same period. The answers duly came back along with resumes, notable achievements, positions held and papers published.
The problem was that none of these women actually existed. These were detailed answers including citations for 3 women who are no more real than Miss Marple.
Of course the lack of immediate women for Chat GPT to seek out and use is part of the problem (though there are dozens of very notable female archaeologists down the years) but it also served to illustrate the problem with LLMs. They are trained to provide answers and when they can't they just make shit up to fulfill their task.
Tech bros and their fans are weirdly dismissive of such issues. I believe LLMs and other tools will provide great benefits, and to a degree already are, but these kinds of thing are not minor or inconsequential to be ignored because the latest AI slop video creation tool has come out.
Another day, another, well, we'll see, at Cheltenham.
I come on here and read we are going to deport immigrants - I thought we already deported those whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful but it seems instead as was the case once with tax and spend, we are embarking on a dutch auction to see who can be the "hardest" on immigration. A fine example of what happens when your have Government and Opposition positions determined by focus groups and tweets rather than what is good for the country.
It also seems we want to continue with one of our stupidest moves in the past 30-40 years - there's no problem with taking infrastructure out of public hands but we sell it to foreign companies. Fine, we get a nice little sum in the coffers but longer term you end up with the spectacle of British consumers having to pay more for their electricity and gas to foreign companies who use that to subsidise the costs their home customers pay.
Poor foreign people aren't welcome but rich foreign companies are - we begrudge any money going to the former but we are happy to pay more than we should to the latter - makes no sense at all.
How do you explain so many favourites turned over by winners so far out in the betting at this Cheltenham Stodge?
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
2 grim days of slog though, after a wonderful Tuesday.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
Some insane idiots actually believe her shit
They need sectioning.
Global oil price rises are all Starmer's fault
That what she is saying.
Well Ed Miliband thinks we can save the climate by setting an example to other countries so why wouldn't the same logic work here?
If we set an example by going to war with Iran and everyone else followed our lead, it would surely be over in no time, leading to a glut of oil on global markets.
You seriously think that. Your off your rocker
Thanks to 14 years and 22% cut in defence spending under Kemi Badenoch Tory Party our Armed Forces are hollowed out.
So let's assume we'd have gone all in, every available plane, ship
What difference would we have made
2% 3%??
Every citizen, city, town, village in this Country would be at risk to soothe the blinking idiots fucking vanity.
2% or 3% would be more than our share of global climate emissions.
It's more about our ability to lead by example and encourage others to step up. Is Keir Starmer not a globally respected figure to whom people around the world look for guidance on moral and political questions? If people saw him getting involved, it would be a signal to the likes of Xi and Modi to get on the right side of history.
Notions of "regime change" and "freedom" for the Iranian people seem to be being sacrificed on the altar of oil prices.
Is Hormuz closed or open?
To this observer, it seems the Gulf States, who haven't been too badly affected by Iranian strikes, are quite happy to see oil prices near $100 a barrel - indeed, one could argue there are a lot of key players for whom higher oil works very well - Vladimir Putin will be happy, Donald Trump seems to be quite happy as well.
Our dependency on oil may not be quite as it was in 1973 but the truth is when supply is low and demand high, those with the oil do very nicely. The balance has been the other way for a while but no longer seemingly.
Looking at the New Zealand news,the domestic airline is cutting services and there's even talk of fuel rationing. Here. I note at my local Tesco's, petrol is 12p per litre higher than it was a fortnight ago.
The Iranian regime is battered and its capability to attack its neighbours reduced but it remains seemingly firmly in control and for all the boasts from Washington, there still seems the ability to hit shipping and oil related infrastructure.
I'm not sure with prices already having risen 22% in a month if the orange one will be happy for very long.
@JosiasJessop An excellent article, many thanks. My father was a merchant seaman during WWII, so I'm familiar with some (not much) of the history.
Seconded @JosiasJessop - just by coincidence this week I obtained via eBay reasonably good copies of "Cruisers of World War 2" and "Destroyers of World War 2" by M J Whitley.
Sir Tony Blair told Jeffrey Epstein he had consulted a “wise religious man” for personal advice and discussed the “nature that religion plays in world conflicts” during a meeting in Downing Street, the Epstein files suggest
Epstein: “I met Tony at number 10. He told me then that his future goal was to understand the nature that religion plays in world conflicts. He told me that he had a wise religioius man in Austrailia that he would consult when he needed personal advice.'
Unlike many future politicians at Oxford, Blair was not involved in the Oxford Union. He was though interested in religion and attended many evening theological discussions hosted by Reverend Thompson
Run ragged caring for an elderly mother today so only now catching up.
Exceptional post from @TheScreamingEagles with the Dire Straits references. I counted 8. Can’t believe you missed an opportunity to squeeze in “It Never Rains” or “Love over Gold”.
I’m with @MoonRabbit - Starmer has an easy out. Kemi would have preferred us to be involved offensively from the get-go. If she had been PM she would have had to reconcile her position with the increase in the cost of living. Good luck with that…
I think Starmer has had a number of easy outs over 18 months, and is not notably skilled at finding them.
Another day, another, well, we'll see, at Cheltenham.
I come on here and read we are going to deport immigrants - I thought we already deported those whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful but it seems instead as was the case once with tax and spend, we are embarking on a dutch auction to see who can be the "hardest" on immigration. A fine example of what happens when your have Government and Opposition positions determined by focus groups and tweets rather than what is good for the country.
It also seems we want to continue with one of our stupidest moves in the past 30-40 years - there's no problem with taking infrastructure out of public hands but we sell it to foreign companies. Fine, we get a nice little sum in the coffers but longer term you end up with the spectacle of British consumers having to pay more for their electricity and gas to foreign companies who use that to subsidise the costs their home customers pay.
Poor foreign people aren't welcome but rich foreign companies are - we begrudge any money going to the former but we are happy to pay more than we should to the latter - makes no sense at all.
How do you explain so many favourites turned over by winners so far out in the betting at this Cheltenham Stodge?
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
Might be all of that or none of that.
Mullins has had a right go at Jon Pullin and Cheltenham over the going but the problem is the course drains so well and so quickly you can have the wettest January and February for years and you are still having to water to stop the ground going too fast.
At Auteuil, they water constantly to provide Soft or Heavy ground all year round and Cheltenham could provide that on one of the courses I imagine but the truth is the course just doesn't hold the moisture as it once did.
Throw in the nonsense of the starts and you get a meeting which for me is getting too big for its own boots. I'd take it back to three days and move some of the championship races to other tracks.
I'd also look seriously at having the whole Festival in mid February with the National at the end of February IF you want a soft ground spectacle.
You can't have the three main staying chases (the Betfair, the King George and the Gold Cup) all run on Good ground - you need to guarantee one can be run on genuinely soft or even heavy turf.
I'm sure the Ed Chamberlins of this world will have you believe Cheltenham is an unqualified triumph which, to paraphrase Mary Poppins, is "practically perfect in every way". It isn't and pandering to the crowds to get 60,000 every day through the gates misses the point if the racing itself is the victim whether it's the starts or the surface.
Sir Tony Blair told Jeffrey Epstein he had consulted a “wise religious man” for personal advice and discussed the “nature that religion plays in world conflicts” during a meeting in Downing Street, the Epstein files suggest
Epstein: “I met Tony at number 10. He told me then that his future goal was to understand the nature that religion plays in world conflicts. He told me that he had a wise religioius man in Austrailia that he would consult when he needed personal advice.'
Another day, another, well, we'll see, at Cheltenham.
I come on here and read we are going to deport immigrants - I thought we already deported those whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful but it seems instead as was the case once with tax and spend, we are embarking on a dutch auction to see who can be the "hardest" on immigration. A fine example of what happens when your have Government and Opposition positions determined by focus groups and tweets rather than what is good for the country.
It also seems we want to continue with one of our stupidest moves in the past 30-40 years - there's no problem with taking infrastructure out of public hands but we sell it to foreign companies. Fine, we get a nice little sum in the coffers but longer term you end up with the spectacle of British consumers having to pay more for their electricity and gas to foreign companies who use that to subsidise the costs their home customers pay.
Poor foreign people aren't welcome but rich foreign companies are - we begrudge any money going to the former but we are happy to pay more than we should to the latter - makes no sense at all.
How do you explain so many favourites turned over by winners so far out in the betting at this Cheltenham Stodge?
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
Might be all of that or none of that.
Mullins has had a right go at Jon Pullin and Cheltenham over the going but the problem is the course drains so well and so quickly you can have the wettest January and February for years and you are still having to water to stop the ground going too fast.
At Auteuil, they water constantly to provide Soft or Heavy ground all year round and Cheltenham could provide that on one of the courses I imagine but the truth is the course just doesn't hold the moisture as it once did.
Throw in the nonsense of the starts and you get a meeting which for me is getting too big for its own boots. I'd take it back to three days and move some of the championship races to other tracks.
I'd also look seriously at having the whole Festival in mid February with the National at the end of February IF you want a soft ground spectacle.
You can't have the three main staying chases (the Betfair, the King George and the Gold Cup) all run on Good ground - you need to guarantee one can be run on genuinely soft or even heavy turf.
I'm sure the Ed Chamberlins of this world will have you believe Cheltenham is an unqualified triumph which, to paraphrase Mary Poppins, is "practically perfect in every way". It isn't and pandering to the crowds to get 60,000 every day through the gates misses the point if the racing itself is the victim whether it's the starts or the surface.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
Some insane idiots actually believe her shit
They need sectioning.
Global oil price rises are all Starmer's fault
That what she is saying.
Well Ed Miliband thinks we can save the climate by setting an example to other countries so why wouldn't the same logic work here?
If we set an example by going to war with Iran and everyone else followed our lead, it would surely be over in no time, leading to a glut of oil on global markets.
You seriously think that. Your off your rocker
Thanks to 14 years and 22% cut in defence spending under Kemi Badenoch Tory Party our Armed Forces are hollowed out.
So let's assume we'd have gone all in, every available plane, ship
What difference would we have made
2% 3%??
Every citizen, city, town, village in this Country would be at risk to soothe the blinking idiots fucking vanity.
2% or 3% would be more than our share of global climate emissions.
It's more about our ability to lead by example and encourage others to step up. Is Keir Starmer not a globally respected figure to whom people around the world look for guidance on moral and political questions? If people saw him getting involved, it would be a signal to the likes of Xi and Modi to get on the right side of history.
What's global warming got to do with declaring war on Iran
What's petrol pump increases got to do with starmer
I had a terrible, ominous thought today. As I did my exciting car club trip to the Regis Road recycling centre (it's a good place to think about the mortality of all things, including bathroom furniture)
There is one absolute definitive way for America to end the war with Iran, and be totally victorious
Drop a nuke on Tehran, or Qom, or whatever
The Iranians would submit within hours, as did the Japanese in 1945
Trust me, I hate the Iranian regime and I'd be delighted to see the mullahs vapourised, but I am not keen on the idea of nukes falling across Persia. Nonetheless i can see how that might be a route out for a desperate Trump and a careless Bibi (who would probably like to see Iran levelled)
Another day, another, well, we'll see, at Cheltenham.
I come on here and read we are going to deport immigrants - I thought we already deported those whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful but it seems instead as was the case once with tax and spend, we are embarking on a dutch auction to see who can be the "hardest" on immigration. A fine example of what happens when your have Government and Opposition positions determined by focus groups and tweets rather than what is good for the country.
It also seems we want to continue with one of our stupidest moves in the past 30-40 years - there's no problem with taking infrastructure out of public hands but we sell it to foreign companies. Fine, we get a nice little sum in the coffers but longer term you end up with the spectacle of British consumers having to pay more for their electricity and gas to foreign companies who use that to subsidise the costs their home customers pay.
Poor foreign people aren't welcome but rich foreign companies are - we begrudge any money going to the former but we are happy to pay more than we should to the latter - makes no sense at all.
How do you explain so many favourites turned over by winners so far out in the betting at this Cheltenham Stodge?
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
Might be all of that or none of that.
Mullins has had a right go at Jon Pullin and Cheltenham over the going but the problem is the course drains so well and so quickly you can have the wettest January and February for years and you are still having to water to stop the ground going too fast.
At Auteuil, they water constantly to provide Soft or Heavy ground all year round and Cheltenham could provide that on one of the courses I imagine but the truth is the course just doesn't hold the moisture as it once did.
Throw in the nonsense of the starts and you get a meeting which for me is getting too big for its own boots. I'd take it back to three days and move some of the championship races to other tracks.
I'd also look seriously at having the whole Festival in mid February with the National at the end of February IF you want a soft ground spectacle.
You can't have the three main staying chases (the Betfair, the King George and the Gold Cup) all run on Good ground - you need to guarantee one can be run on genuinely soft or even heavy turf.
I'm sure the Ed Chamberlins of this world will have you believe Cheltenham is an unqualified triumph which, to paraphrase Mary Poppins, is "practically perfect in every way". It isn't and pandering to the crowds to get 60,000 every day through the gates misses the point if the racing itself is the victim whether it's the starts or the surface.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
Some insane idiots actually believe her shit
They need sectioning.
Global oil price rises are all Starmer's fault
That what she is saying.
Well Ed Miliband thinks we can save the climate by setting an example to other countries so why wouldn't the same logic work here?
If we set an example by going to war with Iran and everyone else followed our lead, it would surely be over in no time, leading to a glut of oil on global markets.
You seriously think that. Your off your rocker
Thanks to 14 years and 22% cut in defence spending under Kemi Badenoch Tory Party our Armed Forces are hollowed out.
So let's assume we'd have gone all in, every available plane, ship
What difference would we have made
2% 3%??
Every citizen, city, town, village in this Country would be at risk to soothe the blinking idiots fucking vanity.
2% or 3% would be more than our share of global climate emissions.
It's more about our ability to lead by example and encourage others to step up. Is Keir Starmer not a globally respected figure to whom people around the world look for guidance on moral and political questions? If people saw him getting involved, it would be a signal to the likes of Xi and Modi to get on the right side of history.
What's global warming got to do with declaring war on Iran
What's petrol pump increases got to do with starmer
If the sea level went up by 150 meters there would be no problem in the strait of Hormuz.
Admittedly no Qatar, Basra or Bahrain either, but you can't have everything.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
Some insane idiots actually believe her shit
They need sectioning.
Global oil price rises are all Starmer's fault
That what she is saying.
Well Ed Miliband thinks we can save the climate by setting an example to other countries so why wouldn't the same logic work here?
If we set an example by going to war with Iran and everyone else followed our lead, it would surely be over in no time, leading to a glut of oil on global markets.
You seriously think that. Your off your rocker
Thanks to 14 years and 22% cut in defence spending under Kemi Badenoch Tory Party our Armed Forces are hollowed out.
So let's assume we'd have gone all in, every available plane, ship
What difference would we have made
2% 3%??
Every citizen, city, town, village in this Country would be at risk to soothe the blinking idiots fucking vanity.
2% or 3% would be more than our share of global climate emissions.
It's more about our ability to lead by example and encourage others to step up. Is Keir Starmer not a globally respected figure to whom people around the world look for guidance on moral and political questions? If people saw him getting involved, it would be a signal to the likes of Xi and Modi to get on the right side of history.
Another day, another, well, we'll see, at Cheltenham.
I come on here and read we are going to deport immigrants - I thought we already deported those whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful but it seems instead as was the case once with tax and spend, we are embarking on a dutch auction to see who can be the "hardest" on immigration. A fine example of what happens when your have Government and Opposition positions determined by focus groups and tweets rather than what is good for the country.
It also seems we want to continue with one of our stupidest moves in the past 30-40 years - there's no problem with taking infrastructure out of public hands but we sell it to foreign companies. Fine, we get a nice little sum in the coffers but longer term you end up with the spectacle of British consumers having to pay more for their electricity and gas to foreign companies who use that to subsidise the costs their home customers pay.
Poor foreign people aren't welcome but rich foreign companies are - we begrudge any money going to the former but we are happy to pay more than we should to the latter - makes no sense at all.
How do you explain so many favourites turned over by winners so far out in the betting at this Cheltenham Stodge?
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
Might be all of that or none of that.
Mullins has had a right go at Jon Pullin and Cheltenham over the going but the problem is the course drains so well and so quickly you can have the wettest January and February for years and you are still having to water to stop the ground going too fast.
At Auteuil, they water constantly to provide Soft or Heavy ground all year round and Cheltenham could provide that on one of the courses I imagine but the truth is the course just doesn't hold the moisture as it once did.
Throw in the nonsense of the starts and you get a meeting which for me is getting too big for its own boots. I'd take it back to three days and move some of the championship races to other tracks.
I'd also look seriously at having the whole Festival in mid February with the National at the end of February IF you want a soft ground spectacle.
You can't have the three main staying chases (the Betfair, the King George and the Gold Cup) all run on Good ground - you need to guarantee one can be run on genuinely soft or even heavy turf.
I'm sure the Ed Chamberlins of this world will have you believe Cheltenham is an unqualified triumph which, to paraphrase Mary Poppins, is "practically perfect in every way". It isn't and pandering to the crowds to get 60,000 every day through the gates misses the point if the racing itself is the victim whether it's the starts or the surface.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
Some insane idiots actually believe her shit
They need sectioning.
Global oil price rises are all Starmer's fault
That what she is saying.
Well Ed Miliband thinks we can save the climate by setting an example to other countries so why wouldn't the same logic work here?
If we set an example by going to war with Iran and everyone else followed our lead, it would surely be over in no time, leading to a glut of oil on global markets.
You seriously think that. Your off your rocker
Thanks to 14 years and 22% cut in defence spending under Kemi Badenoch Tory Party our Armed Forces are hollowed out.
So let's assume we'd have gone all in, every available plane, ship
What difference would we have made
2% 3%??
Every citizen, city, town, village in this Country would be at risk to soothe the blinking idiots fucking vanity.
2% or 3% would be more than our share of global climate emissions.
It's more about our ability to lead by example and encourage others to step up. Is Keir Starmer not a globally respected figure to whom people around the world look for guidance on moral and political questions? If people saw him getting involved, it would be a signal to the likes of Xi and Modi to get on the right side of history.
What's global warming got to do with declaring war on Iran
What's petrol pump increases got to do with starmer
If the sea level went up by 150 meters there would be no problem in the strait of Hormuz.
Admittedly no Qatar, Basra or Bahrain either, but you can't have everything.
On the other hand, if sea level dropped by 100 m, the entire Gulf as far east as Hormuz would be dry land. Just like during the Ice Age 15,000 years back.
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, eye say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Need to define prestige and power - otherwise yes.
Let's say yes then. We can't really define that but I'm sure we're on the same page. Eg main board substantial company, yes. Some shady consulting nonsense, no. @rcs1000 or @TSE as arbitrator in the unlikely event of a dispute.
Thank you to @JosiasJessop for an excellent, if depressing, thread header.
Iran's targeting of non combatant Gulf states in retaliation further emphasises the precarious nature of global stability. What was the world's policeman since WWII has now become a semi-rogue state itself.
It's not at all clear how we climb back out of this.
The same way we climbed out of it last time - bouncing off the bottom of the abyss. If we fight hard for our principles and have a large slice of luck.
Otherwise, we don't. Human society regresses to a more violent and less free state.
It's not looking great, is it? It seems like after every major conflict promises are made to abide by jointly drafted rules and to eschew violence as far as possible. To never forget. Then after a few decades, we do indeed forget and it all kicks off again.
I'm not looking forward to China being the global hegemon, and enforcing its style of global order, because the US destroyed itself by following the deranged whims of a corrupt narcissist.
The major risk is that the forces of democracy and law don't win the next major conflict. And then we're really in the shit.
Trump has done all he can to ensure Russia "wins" in Ukraine.
He is doing all he can to ensure Bibi "wins" in Iran.
Both could be in the same cell block in The Hague.
Another day, another, well, we'll see, at Cheltenham.
I come on here and read we are going to deport immigrants - I thought we already deported those whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful but it seems instead as was the case once with tax and spend, we are embarking on a dutch auction to see who can be the "hardest" on immigration. A fine example of what happens when your have Government and Opposition positions determined by focus groups and tweets rather than what is good for the country.
It also seems we want to continue with one of our stupidest moves in the past 30-40 years - there's no problem with taking infrastructure out of public hands but we sell it to foreign companies. Fine, we get a nice little sum in the coffers but longer term you end up with the spectacle of British consumers having to pay more for their electricity and gas to foreign companies who use that to subsidise the costs their home customers pay.
Poor foreign people aren't welcome but rich foreign companies are - we begrudge any money going to the former but we are happy to pay more than we should to the latter - makes no sense at all.
How do you explain so many favourites turned over by winners so far out in the betting at this Cheltenham Stodge?
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
Might be all of that or none of that.
Mullins has had a right go at Jon Pullin and Cheltenham over the going but the problem is the course drains so well and so quickly you can have the wettest January and February for years and you are still having to water to stop the ground going too fast.
At Auteuil, they water constantly to provide Soft or Heavy ground all year round and Cheltenham could provide that on one of the courses I imagine but the truth is the course just doesn't hold the moisture as it once did.
Throw in the nonsense of the starts and you get a meeting which for me is getting too big for its own boots. I'd take it back to three days and move some of the championship races to other tracks.
I'd also look seriously at having the whole Festival in mid February with the National at the end of February IF you want a soft ground spectacle.
You can't have the three main staying chases (the Betfair, the King George and the Gold Cup) all run on Good ground - you need to guarantee one can be run on genuinely soft or even heavy turf.
I'm sure the Ed Chamberlins of this world will have you believe Cheltenham is an unqualified triumph which, to paraphrase Mary Poppins, is "practically perfect in every way". It isn't and pandering to the crowds to get 60,000 every day through the gates misses the point if the racing itself is the victim whether it's the starts or the surface.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
Some insane idiots actually believe her shit
They need sectioning.
Global oil price rises are all Starmer's fault
That what she is saying.
Well Ed Miliband thinks we can save the climate by setting an example to other countries so why wouldn't the same logic work here?
If we set an example by going to war with Iran and everyone else followed our lead, it would surely be over in no time, leading to a glut of oil on global markets.
You seriously think that. Your off your rocker
Thanks to 14 years and 22% cut in defence spending under Kemi Badenoch Tory Party our Armed Forces are hollowed out.
So let's assume we'd have gone all in, every available plane, ship
What difference would we have made
2% 3%??
Every citizen, city, town, village in this Country would be at risk to soothe the blinking idiots fucking vanity.
2% or 3% would be more than our share of global climate emissions.
It's more about our ability to lead by example and encourage others to step up. Is Keir Starmer not a globally respected figure to whom people around the world look for guidance on moral and political questions? If people saw him getting involved, it would be a signal to the likes of Xi and Modi to get on the right side of history.
What's global warming got to do with declaring war on Iran
What's petrol pump increases got to do with starmer
If the sea level went up by 150 meters there would be no problem in the strait of Hormuz.
Admittedly no Qatar, Basra or Bahrain either, but you can't have everything.
On the other hand, if sea level dropped by 100 m, the entire Gulf as far east as Hormuz would be dry land. Just like during the Ice Age 15,000 years back.
Run ragged caring for an elderly mother today so only now catching up.
Exceptional post from @TheScreamingEagles with the Dire Straits references. I counted 8. Can’t believe you missed an opportunity to squeeze in “It Never Rains” or “Love over Gold”.
I’m with @MoonRabbit - Starmer has an easy out. Kemi would have preferred us to be involved offensively from the get-go. If she had been PM she would have had to reconcile her position with the increase in the cost of living. Good luck with that…
I think Starmer has had a number of easy outs over 18 months, and is not notably skilled at finding them.
I don’t disagree but, on this at least, I think he can stake a claim to a “moral high ground”, however fragile that claim may be.
This past week my time has been taken up with hospital visits and family matters. As such, I’ve caught up with the news as and when. I know what Kemi has said. I know what Keir has said. Their positions have been pretty straightforward.
Kemi is being opportunistic and to argue that she would have done things differently and that the outcomes would have been different is ludicrous. If the UK had been involved in offensive operations from the start or had allowed the US to use UK territory for offensive actions would have produced the same results: higher oil prices, increased financial volatility and a higher cost of living. The end tesukt would be no different just because she stood at the Treasury despatch box and said that her approach was better.
I'd like all ex PBers to return, unless they are dead. Even then they could maybe haunt us a bit. All great pubs have ghosts
It's funny, there are PBers I found quite irritating, and yet I miss themn too. eg Stuart Dickson. Also, Rod Crosby, he was brilliant if a bit mad about the Holocaust
Another day, another, well, we'll see, at Cheltenham.
I come on here and read we are going to deport immigrants - I thought we already deported those whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful but it seems instead as was the case once with tax and spend, we are embarking on a dutch auction to see who can be the "hardest" on immigration. A fine example of what happens when your have Government and Opposition positions determined by focus groups and tweets rather than what is good for the country.
It also seems we want to continue with one of our stupidest moves in the past 30-40 years - there's no problem with taking infrastructure out of public hands but we sell it to foreign companies. Fine, we get a nice little sum in the coffers but longer term you end up with the spectacle of British consumers having to pay more for their electricity and gas to foreign companies who use that to subsidise the costs their home customers pay.
Poor foreign people aren't welcome but rich foreign companies are - we begrudge any money going to the former but we are happy to pay more than we should to the latter - makes no sense at all.
How do you explain so many favourites turned over by winners so far out in the betting at this Cheltenham Stodge?
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
Might be all of that or none of that.
Mullins has had a right go at Jon Pullin and Cheltenham over the going but the problem is the course drains so well and so quickly you can have the wettest January and February for years and you are still having to water to stop the ground going too fast.
At Auteuil, they water constantly to provide Soft or Heavy ground all year round and Cheltenham could provide that on one of the courses I imagine but the truth is the course just doesn't hold the moisture as it once did.
Throw in the nonsense of the starts and you get a meeting which for me is getting too big for its own boots. I'd take it back to three days and move some of the championship races to other tracks.
I'd also look seriously at having the whole Festival in mid February with the National at the end of February IF you want a soft ground spectacle.
You can't have the three main staying chases (the Betfair, the King George and the Gold Cup) all run on Good ground - you need to guarantee one can be run on genuinely soft or even heavy turf.
I'm sure the Ed Chamberlins of this world will have you believe Cheltenham is an unqualified triumph which, to paraphrase Mary Poppins, is "practically perfect in every way". It isn't and pandering to the crowds to get 60,000 every day through the gates misses the point if the racing itself is the victim whether it's the starts or the surface.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
Some insane idiots actually believe her shit
They need sectioning.
Global oil price rises are all Starmer's fault
That what she is saying.
Well Ed Miliband thinks we can save the climate by setting an example to other countries so why wouldn't the same logic work here?
If we set an example by going to war with Iran and everyone else followed our lead, it would surely be over in no time, leading to a glut of oil on global markets.
You seriously think that. Your off your rocker
Thanks to 14 years and 22% cut in defence spending under Kemi Badenoch Tory Party our Armed Forces are hollowed out.
So let's assume we'd have gone all in, every available plane, ship
What difference would we have made
2% 3%??
Every citizen, city, town, village in this Country would be at risk to soothe the blinking idiots fucking vanity.
2% or 3% would be more than our share of global climate emissions.
It's more about our ability to lead by example and encourage others to step up. Is Keir Starmer not a globally respected figure to whom people around the world look for guidance on moral and political questions? If people saw him getting involved, it would be a signal to the likes of Xi and Modi to get on the right side of history.
What's global warming got to do with declaring war on Iran
What's petrol pump increases got to do with starmer
If the sea level went up by 150 meters there would be no problem in the strait of Hormuz.
Admittedly no Qatar, Basra or Bahrain either, but you can't have everything.
On the other hand, if sea level dropped by 100 m, the entire Gulf as far east as Hormuz would be dry land. Just like during the Ice Age 15,000 years back.
Half the UK would be missing too
No it's still there, just covered by ice, along with Doggerland, the dry land that is now the North Sea.
Another day, another, well, we'll see, at Cheltenham.
I come on here and read we are going to deport immigrants - I thought we already deported those whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful but it seems instead as was the case once with tax and spend, we are embarking on a dutch auction to see who can be the "hardest" on immigration. A fine example of what happens when your have Government and Opposition positions determined by focus groups and tweets rather than what is good for the country.
It also seems we want to continue with one of our stupidest moves in the past 30-40 years - there's no problem with taking infrastructure out of public hands but we sell it to foreign companies. Fine, we get a nice little sum in the coffers but longer term you end up with the spectacle of British consumers having to pay more for their electricity and gas to foreign companies who use that to subsidise the costs their home customers pay.
Poor foreign people aren't welcome but rich foreign companies are - we begrudge any money going to the former but we are happy to pay more than we should to the latter - makes no sense at all.
How do you explain so many favourites turned over by winners so far out in the betting at this Cheltenham Stodge?
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
Might be all of that or none of that.
Mullins has had a right go at Jon Pullin and Cheltenham over the going but the problem is the course drains so well and so quickly you can have the wettest January and February for years and you are still having to water to stop the ground going too fast.
At Auteuil, they water constantly to provide Soft or Heavy ground all year round and Cheltenham could provide that on one of the courses I imagine but the truth is the course just doesn't hold the moisture as it once did.
Throw in the nonsense of the starts and you get a meeting which for me is getting too big for its own boots. I'd take it back to three days and move some of the championship races to other tracks.
I'd also look seriously at having the whole Festival in mid February with the National at the end of February IF you want a soft ground spectacle.
You can't have the three main staying chases (the Betfair, the King George and the Gold Cup) all run on Good ground - you need to guarantee one can be run on genuinely soft or even heavy turf.
I'm sure the Ed Chamberlins of this world will have you believe Cheltenham is an unqualified triumph which, to paraphrase Mary Poppins, is "practically perfect in every way". It isn't and pandering to the crowds to get 60,000 every day through the gates misses the point if the racing itself is the victim whether it's the starts or the surface.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
Some insane idiots actually believe her shit
They need sectioning.
Global oil price rises are all Starmer's fault
That what she is saying.
Well Ed Miliband thinks we can save the climate by setting an example to other countries so why wouldn't the same logic work here?
If we set an example by going to war with Iran and everyone else followed our lead, it would surely be over in no time, leading to a glut of oil on global markets.
You seriously think that. Your off your rocker
Thanks to 14 years and 22% cut in defence spending under Kemi Badenoch Tory Party our Armed Forces are hollowed out.
So let's assume we'd have gone all in, every available plane, ship
What difference would we have made
2% 3%??
Every citizen, city, town, village in this Country would be at risk to soothe the blinking idiots fucking vanity.
2% or 3% would be more than our share of global climate emissions.
It's more about our ability to lead by example and encourage others to step up. Is Keir Starmer not a globally respected figure to whom people around the world look for guidance on moral and political questions? If people saw him getting involved, it would be a signal to the likes of Xi and Modi to get on the right side of history.
What's global warming got to do with declaring war on Iran
What's petrol pump increases got to do with starmer
If the sea level went up by 150 meters there would be no problem in the strait of Hormuz.
Admittedly no Qatar, Basra or Bahrain either, but you can't have everything.
On the other hand, if sea level dropped by 100 m, the entire Gulf as far east as Hormuz would be dry land. Just like during the Ice Age 15,000 years back.
Half the UK would be missing too
You mean under ice? Otherwise the UK would be a lot bigger than it is right now and very probably with a land bridge to Europe at Dover where most of the Channel is only 45m deep.
Ch4 News is interesting as they show Israeli apartheid in action. Completely unapologetic. They say they are in a majotrity so they can do what they like. 'Thats how democracy works'.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
She has categorically explained that she has been against an offensive war since day one. She says that she only ever supported the notion of a defensive war, and has castigated Starmer for his Iran War flip-floppery.
Kemi and her followers on PB and in the MSM gave Starmer and his government a very hard time for 10 days, calling him wrong for refusing Trump use of our bases for offensive missions, that these days, by not joining with US, Labour are unpatriotic compared to how they were a patriotic party after the war.
How to interpret “British Troops are just hanging around” if it’s not an attack line on the governments stance on involvement?
Also, interestingly, Labour keeping us out of this war was based on its huge failing being a political party of human rights lawyers, stupidly tied up in and in hoc to International Law. So what is the Conservative position of keeping us out of this war actually based on?
You may have misinterpreted what she meant by "British Troops are just hanging around" and "catching arrows".
The PB faithful understands her interpretation of what defensive.action means.
I had a terrible, ominous thought today. As I did my exciting car club trip to the Regis Road recycling centre (it's a good place to think about the mortality of all things, including bathroom furniture)
There is one absolute definitive way for America to end the war with Iran, and be totally victorious
Drop a nuke on Tehran, or Qom, or whatever
The Iranians would submit within hours, as did the Japanese in 1945
Trust me, I hate the Iranian regime and I'd be delighted to see the mullahs vapourised, but I am not keen on the idea of nukes falling across Persia. Nonetheless i can see how that might be a route out for a desperate Trump and a careless Bibi (who would probably like to see Iran levelled)
I started the day on here saying I was expecting Hegseth to at least threaten Iran with nukes.
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, eye say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Need to define prestige and power - otherwise yes.
Let's say yes then. We can't really define that but I'm sure we're on the same page. Eg main board substantial company, yes. Some shady consulting nonsense, no. @rcs1000 or @TSE as arbitrator in the unlikely event of a dispute.
Ok - site moderators to adjudicate “prestige and power” position for Mandy.
Another day, another, well, we'll see, at Cheltenham.
I come on here and read we are going to deport immigrants - I thought we already deported those whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful but it seems instead as was the case once with tax and spend, we are embarking on a dutch auction to see who can be the "hardest" on immigration. A fine example of what happens when your have Government and Opposition positions determined by focus groups and tweets rather than what is good for the country.
It also seems we want to continue with one of our stupidest moves in the past 30-40 years - there's no problem with taking infrastructure out of public hands but we sell it to foreign companies. Fine, we get a nice little sum in the coffers but longer term you end up with the spectacle of British consumers having to pay more for their electricity and gas to foreign companies who use that to subsidise the costs their home customers pay.
Poor foreign people aren't welcome but rich foreign companies are - we begrudge any money going to the former but we are happy to pay more than we should to the latter - makes no sense at all.
How do you explain so many favourites turned over by winners so far out in the betting at this Cheltenham Stodge?
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
Might be all of that or none of that.
Mullins has had a right go at Jon Pullin and Cheltenham over the going but the problem is the course drains so well and so quickly you can have the wettest January and February for years and you are still having to water to stop the ground going too fast.
At Auteuil, they water constantly to provide Soft or Heavy ground all year round and Cheltenham could provide that on one of the courses I imagine but the truth is the course just doesn't hold the moisture as it once did.
Throw in the nonsense of the starts and you get a meeting which for me is getting too big for its own boots. I'd take it back to three days and move some of the championship races to other tracks.
I'd also look seriously at having the whole Festival in mid February with the National at the end of February IF you want a soft ground spectacle.
You can't have the three main staying chases (the Betfair, the King George and the Gold Cup) all run on Good ground - you need to guarantee one can be run on genuinely soft or even heavy turf.
I'm sure the Ed Chamberlins of this world will have you believe Cheltenham is an unqualified triumph which, to paraphrase Mary Poppins, is "practically perfect in every way". It isn't and pandering to the crowds to get 60,000 every day through the gates misses the point if the racing itself is the victim whether it's the starts or the surface.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
Some insane idiots actually believe her shit
They need sectioning.
Global oil price rises are all Starmer's fault
That what she is saying.
Well Ed Miliband thinks we can save the climate by setting an example to other countries so why wouldn't the same logic work here?
If we set an example by going to war with Iran and everyone else followed our lead, it would surely be over in no time, leading to a glut of oil on global markets.
You seriously think that. Your off your rocker
Thanks to 14 years and 22% cut in defence spending under Kemi Badenoch Tory Party our Armed Forces are hollowed out.
So let's assume we'd have gone all in, every available plane, ship
What difference would we have made
2% 3%??
Every citizen, city, town, village in this Country would be at risk to soothe the blinking idiots fucking vanity.
2% or 3% would be more than our share of global climate emissions.
It's more about our ability to lead by example and encourage others to step up. Is Keir Starmer not a globally respected figure to whom people around the world look for guidance on moral and political questions? If people saw him getting involved, it would be a signal to the likes of Xi and Modi to get on the right side of history.
What's global warming got to do with declaring war on Iran
What's petrol pump increases got to do with starmer
There's no skill in finding a favourite
Hours studying form can regularly find legitimate handicap winners at double figure prices with enough regularity to make a profit.
I've had an 18!1 winner and 25/1,, and 33/1 each way places horses this week
Problem is it takes me an hour to research a 20 runner race so 1 or 2 max a day
So many variables
Handicap mark Weigh Going Right or Left handed Undulating or Flat Trainer form Jockey form
Mares tend to win at certain points of their cycle
Another day, another, well, we'll see, at Cheltenham.
I come on here and read we are going to deport immigrants - I thought we already deported those whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful but it seems instead as was the case once with tax and spend, we are embarking on a dutch auction to see who can be the "hardest" on immigration. A fine example of what happens when your have Government and Opposition positions determined by focus groups and tweets rather than what is good for the country.
It also seems we want to continue with one of our stupidest moves in the past 30-40 years - there's no problem with taking infrastructure out of public hands but we sell it to foreign companies. Fine, we get a nice little sum in the coffers but longer term you end up with the spectacle of British consumers having to pay more for their electricity and gas to foreign companies who use that to subsidise the costs their home customers pay.
Poor foreign people aren't welcome but rich foreign companies are - we begrudge any money going to the former but we are happy to pay more than we should to the latter - makes no sense at all.
How do you explain so many favourites turned over by winners so far out in the betting at this Cheltenham Stodge?
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
Might be all of that or none of that.
Mullins has had a right go at Jon Pullin and Cheltenham over the going but the problem is the course drains so well and so quickly you can have the wettest January and February for years and you are still having to water to stop the ground going too fast.
At Auteuil, they water constantly to provide Soft or Heavy ground all year round and Cheltenham could provide that on one of the courses I imagine but the truth is the course just doesn't hold the moisture as it once did.
Throw in the nonsense of the starts and you get a meeting which for me is getting too big for its own boots. I'd take it back to three days and move some of the championship races to other tracks.
I'd also look seriously at having the whole Festival in mid February with the National at the end of February IF you want a soft ground spectacle.
You can't have the three main staying chases (the Betfair, the King George and the Gold Cup) all run on Good ground - you need to guarantee one can be run on genuinely soft or even heavy turf.
I'm sure the Ed Chamberlins of this world will have you believe Cheltenham is an unqualified triumph which, to paraphrase Mary Poppins, is "practically perfect in every way". It isn't and pandering to the crowds to get 60,000 every day through the gates misses the point if the racing itself is the victim whether it's the starts or the surface.
Those are big expansive {courageous in Yes, Minister} thoughts Stodge.
I get what you mean about the Tabloid Nature of the whole event - and Ed Chamberlin’s journalism. Yet there is still some National Sentimental value about this festival - moving it to February and hacking down to three days, although some thoughtful argument to it, would be like moving Nelson’s column to a different part of London.
I get what you mean about messy starts. Punters money to one side, a whole seasons targeting, a whole careers effort, are being wrecked in these farcical starts. If this was litigation capital USA the starter would be picked up by ICE this evening, impounded until trial where sentence would be something existential using starters tape.
I don’t get so much about the ground playing huge part. It’s been good to soft, soft in places today, good to soft, good in places first two days, many backed in to short favourite and evens should be able to manage such subtle change? I admit there are limits - both Lossiemouth’s defeats have come on heavier ground than this, but don’t we want superstar horses earning legend status, based on meeting challenge of different surfaces? some might never fully thrive on unfavourable ground, but there are a lot of training methods which can improve their weaker suit - it’s about working on different muscle groups isn’t it?
When I bumped off school to go round my nans for all horse racing not just Cheltenham, I’m sure the racing print media said: these are the contenders today based on this season. Now they seem to say, this is the winner you need to be on.
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, eye say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Need to define prestige and power - otherwise yes.
Let's say yes then. We can't really define that but I'm sure we're on the same page. Eg main board substantial company, yes. Some shady consulting nonsense, no. @rcs1000 or @TSE as arbitrator in the unlikely event of a dispute.
To continue our discussion from last night.
I think Trump exceeds any previous Dem President for corruption, crudity and lack of focus.
Johnson exceeded Trump as a vote rigger - albeit before he became President.
Carter exceeded Trump for general uselessness.
Clinton exceeded Trump as a sexual harasser in the White House - Trump likely comes higher on a lifetime rating.
Obama exceeded Trump for allowing problems to grow with long term consequences.
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, eye say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Need to define prestige and power - otherwise yes.
Let's say yes then. We can't really define that but I'm sure we're on the same page. Eg main board substantial company, yes. Some shady consulting nonsense, no. @rcs1000 or @TSE as arbitrator in the unlikely event of a dispute.
To continue our discussion from last night.
I think Trump exceeds any previous Dem President for corruption, crudity and lack of focus.
Johnson exceeded Trump as a vote rigger - albeit before he became President.
Carter exceeded Trump for general uselessness.
Clinton exceeded Trump as a sexual harasser in the White House - Trump likely comes higher on a lifetime rating.
Obama exceeded Trump for allowing problems to grow with long term consequences.
Biden exceeded Trump for senility.
You are wrong on every count. Particularly your last point.
O/6 Must try harder!
Edit. I got over excited and counted your introduction.
@JosiasJessop An excellent article, many thanks. My father was a merchant seaman during WWII, so I'm familiar with some (not much) of the history.
Seconded @JosiasJessop - just by coincidence this week I obtained via eBay reasonably good copies of "Cruisers of World War 2" and "Destroyers of World War 2" by M J Whitley.
You are MJ Whitley and I claim my £5
Get your fiver quick, or else you'll end up holding a beaver.
Anti Zionists should be lauded for want rid of evil
It's a language thing. Blanche equates 'anti zionism' with wanting to obliterate Israel and kill all the Jews.
I don't equate it with wanting to kill all the Jews, but they do necessarily want all of the Jews to leave what they consequentially must believe should be a pure Muslim part of the world
Another day, another, well, we'll see, at Cheltenham.
I come on here and read we are going to deport immigrants - I thought we already deported those whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful but it seems instead as was the case once with tax and spend, we are embarking on a dutch auction to see who can be the "hardest" on immigration. A fine example of what happens when your have Government and Opposition positions determined by focus groups and tweets rather than what is good for the country.
It also seems we want to continue with one of our stupidest moves in the past 30-40 years - there's no problem with taking infrastructure out of public hands but we sell it to foreign companies. Fine, we get a nice little sum in the coffers but longer term you end up with the spectacle of British consumers having to pay more for their electricity and gas to foreign companies who use that to subsidise the costs their home customers pay.
Poor foreign people aren't welcome but rich foreign companies are - we begrudge any money going to the former but we are happy to pay more than we should to the latter - makes no sense at all.
How do you explain so many favourites turned over by winners so far out in the betting at this Cheltenham Stodge?
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
Might be all of that or none of that.
Mullins has had a right go at Jon Pullin and Cheltenham over the going but the problem is the course drains so well and so quickly you can have the wettest January and February for years and you are still having to water to stop the ground going too fast.
At Auteuil, they water constantly to provide Soft or Heavy ground all year round and Cheltenham could provide that on one of the courses I imagine but the truth is the course just doesn't hold the moisture as it once did.
Throw in the nonsense of the starts and you get a meeting which for me is getting too big for its own boots. I'd take it back to three days and move some of the championship races to other tracks.
I'd also look seriously at having the whole Festival in mid February with the National at the end of February IF you want a soft ground spectacle.
You can't have the three main staying chases (the Betfair, the King George and the Gold Cup) all run on Good ground - you need to guarantee one can be run on genuinely soft or even heavy turf.
I'm sure the Ed Chamberlins of this world will have you believe Cheltenham is an unqualified triumph which, to paraphrase Mary Poppins, is "practically perfect in every way". It isn't and pandering to the crowds to get 60,000 every day through the gates misses the point if the racing itself is the victim whether it's the starts or the surface.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
Some insane idiots actually believe her shit
They need sectioning.
Global oil price rises are all Starmer's fault
That what she is saying.
Well Ed Miliband thinks we can save the climate by setting an example to other countries so why wouldn't the same logic work here?
If we set an example by going to war with Iran and everyone else followed our lead, it would surely be over in no time, leading to a glut of oil on global markets.
You seriously think that. Your off your rocker
Thanks to 14 years and 22% cut in defence spending under Kemi Badenoch Tory Party our Armed Forces are hollowed out.
So let's assume we'd have gone all in, every available plane, ship
What difference would we have made
2% 3%??
Every citizen, city, town, village in this Country would be at risk to soothe the blinking idiots fucking vanity.
2% or 3% would be more than our share of global climate emissions.
It's more about our ability to lead by example and encourage others to step up. Is Keir Starmer not a globally respected figure to whom people around the world look for guidance on moral and political questions? If people saw him getting involved, it would be a signal to the likes of Xi and Modi to get on the right side of history.
What's global warming got to do with declaring war on Iran
What's petrol pump increases got to do with starmer
There's no skill in finding a favourite
Hours studying form can regularly find legitimate handicap winners at double figure prices with enough regularity to make a profit.
I've had an 18!1 winner and 25/1,, and 33/1 each way places horses this week
Problem is it takes me an hour to research a 20 runner race so 1 or 2 max a day
So many variables
Handicap mark Weigh Going Right or Left handed Undulating or Flat Trainer form Jockey form
Mares tend to win at certain points of their cycle
Always worth noting when a trainer brings only one horse to a meet. Especially if they have brought it some distance.
Usually indicates THEY think the horse is ready for that race.
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, eye say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Need to define prestige and power - otherwise yes.
Let's say yes then. We can't really define that but I'm sure we're on the same page. Eg main board substantial company, yes. Some shady consulting nonsense, no. @rcs1000 or @TSE as arbitrator in the unlikely event of a dispute.
To continue our discussion from last night.
I think Trump exceeds any previous Dem President for corruption, crudity and lack of focus.
Johnson exceeded Trump as a vote rigger - albeit before he became President.
Carter exceeded Trump for general uselessness.
Clinton exceeded Trump as a sexual harasser in the White House - Trump likely comes higher on a lifetime rating.
Obama exceeded Trump for allowing problems to grow with long term consequences.
Biden exceeded Trump for senility.
Ok, you're not quite grasping the monstrosity on every level that is Donald Trump, but that's an interesting schema.
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, eye say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Need to define prestige and power - otherwise yes.
Let's say yes then. We can't really define that but I'm sure we're on the same page. Eg main board substantial company, yes. Some shady consulting nonsense, no. @rcs1000 or @TSE as arbitrator in the unlikely event of a dispute.
Ok - site moderators to adjudicate “prestige and power” position for Mandy.
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, eye say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Need to define prestige and power - otherwise yes.
He might have power at his majesty's pleasure.. does that count?
Another day, another, well, we'll see, at Cheltenham.
I come on here and read we are going to deport immigrants - I thought we already deported those whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful but it seems instead as was the case once with tax and spend, we are embarking on a dutch auction to see who can be the "hardest" on immigration. A fine example of what happens when your have Government and Opposition positions determined by focus groups and tweets rather than what is good for the country.
It also seems we want to continue with one of our stupidest moves in the past 30-40 years - there's no problem with taking infrastructure out of public hands but we sell it to foreign companies. Fine, we get a nice little sum in the coffers but longer term you end up with the spectacle of British consumers having to pay more for their electricity and gas to foreign companies who use that to subsidise the costs their home customers pay.
Poor foreign people aren't welcome but rich foreign companies are - we begrudge any money going to the former but we are happy to pay more than we should to the latter - makes no sense at all.
How do you explain so many favourites turned over by winners so far out in the betting at this Cheltenham Stodge?
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
Might be all of that or none of that.
Mullins has had a right go at Jon Pullin and Cheltenham over the going but the problem is the course drains so well and so quickly you can have the wettest January and February for years and you are still having to water to stop the ground going too fast.
At Auteuil, they water constantly to provide Soft or Heavy ground all year round and Cheltenham could provide that on one of the courses I imagine but the truth is the course just doesn't hold the moisture as it once did.
Throw in the nonsense of the starts and you get a meeting which for me is getting too big for its own boots. I'd take it back to three days and move some of the championship races to other tracks.
I'd also look seriously at having the whole Festival in mid February with the National at the end of February IF you want a soft ground spectacle.
You can't have the three main staying chases (the Betfair, the King George and the Gold Cup) all run on Good ground - you need to guarantee one can be run on genuinely soft or even heavy turf.
I'm sure the Ed Chamberlins of this world will have you believe Cheltenham is an unqualified triumph which, to paraphrase Mary Poppins, is "practically perfect in every way". It isn't and pandering to the crowds to get 60,000 every day through the gates misses the point if the racing itself is the victim whether it's the starts or the surface.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
Some insane idiots actually believe her shit
They need sectioning.
Global oil price rises are all Starmer's fault
That what she is saying.
Well Ed Miliband thinks we can save the climate by setting an example to other countries so why wouldn't the same logic work here?
If we set an example by going to war with Iran and everyone else followed our lead, it would surely be over in no time, leading to a glut of oil on global markets.
You seriously think that. Your off your rocker
Thanks to 14 years and 22% cut in defence spending under Kemi Badenoch Tory Party our Armed Forces are hollowed out.
So let's assume we'd have gone all in, every available plane, ship
What difference would we have made
2% 3%??
Every citizen, city, town, village in this Country would be at risk to soothe the blinking idiots fucking vanity.
2% or 3% would be more than our share of global climate emissions.
It's more about our ability to lead by example and encourage others to step up. Is Keir Starmer not a globally respected figure to whom people around the world look for guidance on moral and political questions? If people saw him getting involved, it would be a signal to the likes of Xi and Modi to get on the right side of history.
What's global warming got to do with declaring war on Iran
What's petrol pump increases got to do with starmer
There's no skill in finding a favourite
Hours studying form can regularly find legitimate handicap winners at double figure prices with enough regularity to make a profit.
I've had an 18!1 winner and 25/1,, and 33/1 each way places horses this week
Problem is it takes me an hour to research a 20 runner race so 1 or 2 max a day
So many variables
Handicap mark Weigh Going Right or Left handed Undulating or Flat Trainer form Jockey form
Mares tend to win at certain points of their cycle
If you are claiming hormonal fluctuations do create barrier to horses winning, does that apply to all life on earth, including humans? Ladies cannot produce their best “whilst on heat?”
Do you wish to withdraw what you said about racing mares?
My latest prediction is, you are heading for a spell in “the toilets” or worse.
I had a terrible, ominous thought today. As I did my exciting car club trip to the Regis Road recycling centre (it's a good place to think about the mortality of all things, including bathroom furniture)
There is one absolute definitive way for America to end the war with Iran, and be totally victorious
Drop a nuke on Tehran, or Qom, or whatever
The Iranians would submit within hours, as did the Japanese in 1945
Trust me, I hate the Iranian regime and I'd be delighted to see the mullahs vapourised, but I am not keen on the idea of nukes falling across Persia. Nonetheless i can see how that might be a route out for a desperate Trump and a careless Bibi (who would probably like to see Iran levelled)
I started the day on here saying I was expecting Hegseth to at least threaten Iran with nukes.
Within a day the Russians would be having a go, so the Europeans will go totally apeshit at the Americans- far from ensuring victory, it could lead to a total boycott of the US.
Another day, another, well, we'll see, at Cheltenham.
I come on here and read we are going to deport immigrants - I thought we already deported those whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful but it seems instead as was the case once with tax and spend, we are embarking on a dutch auction to see who can be the "hardest" on immigration. A fine example of what happens when your have Government and Opposition positions determined by focus groups and tweets rather than what is good for the country.
It also seems we want to continue with one of our stupidest moves in the past 30-40 years - there's no problem with taking infrastructure out of public hands but we sell it to foreign companies. Fine, we get a nice little sum in the coffers but longer term you end up with the spectacle of British consumers having to pay more for their electricity and gas to foreign companies who use that to subsidise the costs their home customers pay.
Poor foreign people aren't welcome but rich foreign companies are - we begrudge any money going to the former but we are happy to pay more than we should to the latter - makes no sense at all.
How do you explain so many favourites turned over by winners so far out in the betting at this Cheltenham Stodge?
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
Might be all of that or none of that.
Mullins has had a right go at Jon Pullin and Cheltenham over the going but the problem is the course drains so well and so quickly you can have the wettest January and February for years and you are still having to water to stop the ground going too fast.
At Auteuil, they water constantly to provide Soft or Heavy ground all year round and Cheltenham could provide that on one of the courses I imagine but the truth is the course just doesn't hold the moisture as it once did.
Throw in the nonsense of the starts and you get a meeting which for me is getting too big for its own boots. I'd take it back to three days and move some of the championship races to other tracks.
I'd also look seriously at having the whole Festival in mid February with the National at the end of February IF you want a soft ground spectacle.
You can't have the three main staying chases (the Betfair, the King George and the Gold Cup) all run on Good ground - you need to guarantee one can be run on genuinely soft or even heavy turf.
I'm sure the Ed Chamberlins of this world will have you believe Cheltenham is an unqualified triumph which, to paraphrase Mary Poppins, is "practically perfect in every way". It isn't and pandering to the crowds to get 60,000 every day through the gates misses the point if the racing itself is the victim whether it's the starts or the surface.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
Some insane idiots actually believe her shit
They need sectioning.
Global oil price rises are all Starmer's fault
That what she is saying.
Well Ed Miliband thinks we can save the climate by setting an example to other countries so why wouldn't the same logic work here?
If we set an example by going to war with Iran and everyone else followed our lead, it would surely be over in no time, leading to a glut of oil on global markets.
You seriously think that. Your off your rocker
Thanks to 14 years and 22% cut in defence spending under Kemi Badenoch Tory Party our Armed Forces are hollowed out.
So let's assume we'd have gone all in, every available plane, ship
What difference would we have made
2% 3%??
Every citizen, city, town, village in this Country would be at risk to soothe the blinking idiots fucking vanity.
2% or 3% would be more than our share of global climate emissions.
It's more about our ability to lead by example and encourage others to step up. Is Keir Starmer not a globally respected figure to whom people around the world look for guidance on moral and political questions? If people saw him getting involved, it would be a signal to the likes of Xi and Modi to get on the right side of history.
What's global warming got to do with declaring war on Iran
What's petrol pump increases got to do with starmer
Well the pump price is mostly tax, so it could and should be cut by reducing the absurdly high tax rate.
Instead Starmer is planning a 5p per litre tax grab, with VAT on top so 6p per litre tax raid altogether.
I had a terrible, ominous thought today. As I did my exciting car club trip to the Regis Road recycling centre (it's a good place to think about the mortality of all things, including bathroom furniture)
There is one absolute definitive way for America to end the war with Iran, and be totally victorious
Drop a nuke on Tehran, or Qom, or whatever
The Iranians would submit within hours, as did the Japanese in 1945
Trust me, I hate the Iranian regime and I'd be delighted to see the mullahs vapourised, but I am not keen on the idea of nukes falling across Persia. Nonetheless i can see how that might be a route out for a desperate Trump and a careless Bibi (who would probably like to see Iran levelled)
I started the day on here saying I was expecting Hegseth to at least threaten Iran with nukes.
Within a day the Russians would be having a go, so the Europeans will go totally apeshit at the Americans- far from ensuring victory, it could lead to a total boycott of the US.
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, eye say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Need to define prestige and power - otherwise yes.
He might have power at his majesty's pleasure.. does that count?
I had a terrible, ominous thought today. As I did my exciting car club trip to the Regis Road recycling centre (it's a good place to think about the mortality of all things, including bathroom furniture)
There is one absolute definitive way for America to end the war with Iran, and be totally victorious
Drop a nuke on Tehran, or Qom, or whatever
The Iranians would submit within hours, as did the Japanese in 1945
Trust me, I hate the Iranian regime and I'd be delighted to see the mullahs vapourised, but I am not keen on the idea of nukes falling across Persia. Nonetheless i can see how that might be a route out for a desperate Trump and a careless Bibi (who would probably like to see Iran levelled)
I started the day on here saying I was expecting Hegseth to at least threaten Iran with nukes.
Within a day the Russians would be having a go, so the Europeans will go totally apeshit at the Americans- far from ensuring victory, it could lead to a total boycott of the US.
None of the steps in this causal chain make sense. There's almost no event that you don't think will lead to the downfall of the US in one form or another.
Another day, another, well, we'll see, at Cheltenham.
I come on here and read we are going to deport immigrants - I thought we already deported those whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful but it seems instead as was the case once with tax and spend, we are embarking on a dutch auction to see who can be the "hardest" on immigration. A fine example of what happens when your have Government and Opposition positions determined by focus groups and tweets rather than what is good for the country.
It also seems we want to continue with one of our stupidest moves in the past 30-40 years - there's no problem with taking infrastructure out of public hands but we sell it to foreign companies. Fine, we get a nice little sum in the coffers but longer term you end up with the spectacle of British consumers having to pay more for their electricity and gas to foreign companies who use that to subsidise the costs their home customers pay.
Poor foreign people aren't welcome but rich foreign companies are - we begrudge any money going to the former but we are happy to pay more than we should to the latter - makes no sense at all.
How do you explain so many favourites turned over by winners so far out in the betting at this Cheltenham Stodge?
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
Might be all of that or none of that.
Mullins has had a right go at Jon Pullin and Cheltenham over the going but the problem is the course drains so well and so quickly you can have the wettest January and February for years and you are still having to water to stop the ground going too fast.
At Auteuil, they water constantly to provide Soft or Heavy ground all year round and Cheltenham could provide that on one of the courses I imagine but the truth is the course just doesn't hold the moisture as it once did.
Throw in the nonsense of the starts and you get a meeting which for me is getting too big for its own boots. I'd take it back to three days and move some of the championship races to other tracks.
I'd also look seriously at having the whole Festival in mid February with the National at the end of February IF you want a soft ground spectacle.
You can't have the three main staying chases (the Betfair, the King George and the Gold Cup) all run on Good ground - you need to guarantee one can be run on genuinely soft or even heavy turf.
I'm sure the Ed Chamberlins of this world will have you believe Cheltenham is an unqualified triumph which, to paraphrase Mary Poppins, is "practically perfect in every way". It isn't and pandering to the crowds to get 60,000 every day through the gates misses the point if the racing itself is the victim whether it's the starts or the surface.
Kemi going in boots on over Starmer having sent petrol prices through the roof with his war with Iran.
I wonder if she's thought about blockading Ebbsfleet and Fawley with trucks and tractors like Hague did in 2000.
Go on girl!
Surely Starmer just says: I never supported this war, but you did - you own these rises.
Some insane idiots actually believe her shit
They need sectioning.
Global oil price rises are all Starmer's fault
That what she is saying.
Well Ed Miliband thinks we can save the climate by setting an example to other countries so why wouldn't the same logic work here?
If we set an example by going to war with Iran and everyone else followed our lead, it would surely be over in no time, leading to a glut of oil on global markets.
You seriously think that. Your off your rocker
Thanks to 14 years and 22% cut in defence spending under Kemi Badenoch Tory Party our Armed Forces are hollowed out.
So let's assume we'd have gone all in, every available plane, ship
What difference would we have made
2% 3%??
Every citizen, city, town, village in this Country would be at risk to soothe the blinking idiots fucking vanity.
2% or 3% would be more than our share of global climate emissions.
It's more about our ability to lead by example and encourage others to step up. Is Keir Starmer not a globally respected figure to whom people around the world look for guidance on moral and political questions? If people saw him getting involved, it would be a signal to the likes of Xi and Modi to get on the right side of history.
What's global warming got to do with declaring war on Iran
What's petrol pump increases got to do with starmer
There's no skill in finding a favourite
Hours studying form can regularly find legitimate handicap winners at double figure prices with enough regularity to make a profit.
I've had an 18!1 winner and 25/1,, and 33/1 each way places horses this week
Problem is it takes me an hour to research a 20 runner race so 1 or 2 max a day
So many variables
Handicap mark Weigh Going Right or Left handed Undulating or Flat Trainer form Jockey form
Mares tend to win at certain points of their cycle
If you are claiming hormonal fluctuations do create barrier to horses winning, does that apply to all life on earth, including humans? Ladies cannot produce their best “whilst on heat?”
Do you wish to withdraw what you said about racing mares?
My latest prediction is, you are heading for a spell in “the toilets” or worse.
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, eye say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Need to define prestige and power - otherwise yes.
Let's say yes then. We can't really define that but I'm sure we're on the same page. Eg main board substantial company, yes. Some shady consulting nonsense, no. @rcs1000 or @TSE as arbitrator in the unlikely event of a dispute.
Ok - site moderators to adjudicate “prestige and power” position for Mandy.
I had a terrible, ominous thought today. As I did my exciting car club trip to the Regis Road recycling centre (it's a good place to think about the mortality of all things, including bathroom furniture)
There is one absolute definitive way for America to end the war with Iran, and be totally victorious
Drop a nuke on Tehran, or Qom, or whatever
The Iranians would submit within hours, as did the Japanese in 1945
Trust me, I hate the Iranian regime and I'd be delighted to see the mullahs vapourised, but I am not keen on the idea of nukes falling across Persia. Nonetheless i can see how that might be a route out for a desperate Trump and a careless Bibi (who would probably like to see Iran levelled)
I started the day on here saying I was expecting Hegseth to at least threaten Iran with nukes.
Within a day the Russians would be having a go, so the Europeans will go totally apeshit at the Americans- far from ensuring victory, it could lead to a total boycott of the US.
You think Hegseth sees that far ahead?
Not sure Hegseth sees much further than his next round. And being a true Trumpian his thinking is that someone else should be buying it.
Anti Zionists should be lauded for want rid of evil
It's a language thing. Blanche equates 'anti zionism' with wanting to obliterate Israel and kill all the Jews.
I don't equate it with wanting to kill all the Jews, but they do necessarily want all of the Jews to leave what they consequentially must believe should be a pure Muslim part of the world
Not really. Zionist now means Greater Israel fanaticism. So 'anti' that is most people. But if you like you can split this into 2 - 'non' zionist picking up those 'most people' (inc Jews) and 'anti' being those who really are very very anti Israel, and some of the latter will be the extreme antisemites you are probably (I hope unless you're an ultra zionist extremist yourself) trying to get at with your 'Anzis' wordplay.
I honestly don't see how this World Cup will happen as planned. We're four months out and the president is threatening athletes? I don't see how any country can feel safe about sending their teams here, not to mention their fans, dignitaries, etc.
Bessent: "That was always in our planning -- the chance that the US Navy or perhaps an international coalition will be escorting tankers through. There are tankers coming through now. We know that they have not mined the Straits."
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, eye say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Need to define prestige and power - otherwise yes.
Let's say yes then. We can't really define that but I'm sure we're on the same page. Eg main board substantial company, yes. Some shady consulting nonsense, no. @rcs1000 or @TSE as arbitrator in the unlikely event of a dispute.
Ok - site moderators to adjudicate “prestige and power” position for Mandy.
The Trump administration could really restore confidence by getting the entire Cabinet to ride a tanker through the Straits of Hormuz to show everyone how safe and easy it is now.
They could bring along a lot of MAGA influencers and Fox News hosts to broadcast it all live!
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, eye say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Need to define prestige and power - otherwise yes.
Let's say yes then. We can't really define that but I'm sure we're on the same page. Eg main board substantial company, yes. Some shady consulting nonsense, no. @rcs1000 or @TSE as arbitrator in the unlikely event of a dispute.
To continue our discussion from last night.
I think Trump exceeds any previous Dem President for corruption, crudity and lack of focus.
Johnson exceeded Trump as a vote rigger - albeit before he became President.
Carter exceeded Trump for general uselessness.
Clinton exceeded Trump as a sexual harasser in the White House - Trump likely comes higher on a lifetime rating.
Obama exceeded Trump for allowing problems to grow with long term consequences.
Biden exceeded Trump for senility.
You are wrong on every count. Particularly your last point.
O/6 Must try harder!
Edit. I got over excited and counted your introduction.
Landslide Lyndon was a successful vote rigger, Trump was a failed vote rigger.
Consider Carter's dealing with Iran if you want to see uselessness.
Clinton - Monica Lewinsky and his lying about her.
Obama - The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back – A portion of a statement that Obama made in an October 2012 debate. In the debate, Obama was deriding an earlier Romney statement in the campaign that Russia is "without question, our No. 1 geopolitical foe." - to which you can add the economic problems which became intensified in the Obama era and led to Trump and Sanders populism.
Biden - so senile he managed to make Trump look fit for office in comparison.
That Trump managed to win in 2024 is the proof that I'm correct.
Ch4 News is interesting as they show Israeli apartheid in action. Completely unapologetic. They say they are in a majotrity so they can do what they like. 'Thats how democracy works'.
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, eye say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Need to define prestige and power - otherwise yes.
Let's say yes then. We can't really define that but I'm sure we're on the same page. Eg main board substantial company, yes. Some shady consulting nonsense, no. @rcs1000 or @TSE as arbitrator in the unlikely event of a dispute.
To continue our discussion from last night.
I think Trump exceeds any previous Dem President for corruption, crudity and lack of focus.
Johnson exceeded Trump as a vote rigger - albeit before he became President.
Carter exceeded Trump for general uselessness.
Clinton exceeded Trump as a sexual harasser in the White House - Trump likely comes higher on a lifetime rating.
Obama exceeded Trump for allowing problems to grow with long term consequences.
Biden exceeded Trump for senility.
Ok, you're not quite grasping the monstrosity on every level that is Donald Trump, but that's an interesting schema.
Trump is a monstrously malignant narcissist.
An example of how not to operate or behave in office.
Its what both parties generally and individual politicians personally learn from this era that will decide the USA's future governance.
Will they think of such things as never be repeated or as a reason to excuse their own future excesses ?
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, eye say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Need to define prestige and power - otherwise yes.
Let's say yes then. We can't really define that but I'm sure we're on the same page. Eg main board substantial company, yes. Some shady consulting nonsense, no. @rcs1000 or @TSE as arbitrator in the unlikely event of a dispute.
To continue our discussion from last night.
I think Trump exceeds any previous Dem President for corruption, crudity and lack of focus.
Johnson exceeded Trump as a vote rigger - albeit before he became President.
Carter exceeded Trump for general uselessness.
Clinton exceeded Trump as a sexual harasser in the White House - Trump likely comes higher on a lifetime rating.
Obama exceeded Trump for allowing problems to grow with long term consequences.
Biden exceeded Trump for senility.
You are wrong on every count. Particularly your last point.
O/6 Must try harder!
Edit. I got over excited and counted your introduction.
Landslide Lyndon was a successful vote rigger, Trump was a failed vote rigger.
Consider Carter's dealing with Iran if you want to see uselessness.
Clinton - Monica Lewinsky and his lying about her.
Obama - The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back – A portion of a statement that Obama made in an October 2012 debate. In the debate, Obama was deriding an earlier Romney statement in the campaign that Russia is "without question, our No. 1 geopolitical foe." - to which you can add the economic problems which became intensified in the Obama era and led to Trump and Sanders populism.
Biden - so senile he managed to make Trump look fit for office in comparison.
That Trump managed to win in 2024 is the proof that I'm correct.
You're not correct. You're juxtaposing an absurdly sanguine view of Trump's crimes with the worst possible interpretation of all the Dems mistakes and misspeaks.
Notions of "regime change" and "freedom" for the Iranian people seem to be being sacrificed on the altar of oil prices.
Is Hormuz closed or open?
To this observer, it seems the Gulf States, who haven't been too badly affected by Iranian strikes, are quite happy to see oil prices near $100 a barrel - indeed, one could argue there are a lot of key players for whom higher oil works very well - Vladimir Putin will be happy, Donald Trump seems to be quite happy as well.
Our dependency on oil may not be quite as it was in 1973 but the truth is when supply is low and demand high, those with the oil do very nicely. The balance has been the other way for a while but no longer seemingly.
Looking at the New Zealand news,the domestic airline is cutting services and there's even talk of fuel rationing. Here. I note at my local Tesco's, petrol is 12p per litre higher than it was a fortnight ago.
The Iranian regime is battered and its capability to attack its neighbours reduced but it remains seemingly firmly in control and for all the boasts from Washington, there still seems the ability to hit shipping and oil related infrastructure.
I'm not sure with prices already having risen 22% in a month if the orange one will be happy for very long.
Remember that the US is the world's largest oil producer producing 17.3m bpd. Some people in the US are getting seriously rich from this. A lot of marginal shale and fracking production has become wildly profitable. Sure Joe Shmuck is losing out but what did Trump ever care about that?
'Dubai is finished': Expats say they will leave and never come back as tax-free dream is shattered by war and officials begin prosecuting people for posting videos of missiles
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, eye say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Need to define prestige and power - otherwise yes.
He might have power at his majesty's pleasure.. does that count?
'Dubai is finished': Expats say they will leave and never come back as tax-free dream is shattered by war and officials begin prosecuting people for posting videos of missiles
No 10 says ministers were right to give Peter Mandelson a £75k payoff after he was sacked in disgrace - but also that he should give it back
Would those against the payout prefer we paid him £250k and lawyers another £500k after a court battle?
Sir Keir said he lied during the vetting.
Lying on a job application or during vetting is Gross Misconduct and grounds for termination without compensation.
If he did not do that, then Sir Keir has lied.
Either he should have been fired, with cause, without notice, or the PM should be resigning.
More to the point his contract made it expressly clear that he was not entitled to notice and there at the whim of the government. I don't understand why an early termination payment was even being discussed.
#NU10K - failure looks different.
For most people failure means losing your job. Prison even.
For the Blessed Ones, failure means a payout, followed by getting another job. A better one. With a golden hello.
To not give him a payout would be “vindictive”. It would break the moral obligation to treat him as One of Us, rather than a prole.
'NU10k' or not - I'd argue he's something a little more unusual than that - I doubt Peter Mandelson is going to progress to a better job.
He will “rest” for a bit. Then gradually, he will accidentally fall into new jobs.
Probably charity stuff to start the rehabilitation - on the board of a few.
Then, after the next election, the potential prosecution will be dropped - insufficient evidence and not in the public interest….
Hmm, maybe, but I think not in this case. It's a pretty high profile and intense disgrace. And there's that 'pedo' aspect. It's not just corruption and £££.
How much do you want to bet?
FIFTY POUNDS
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, eye say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Need to define prestige and power - otherwise yes.
Let's say yes then. We can't really define that but I'm sure we're on the same page. Eg main board substantial company, yes. Some shady consulting nonsense, no. @rcs1000 or @TSE as arbitrator in the unlikely event of a dispute.
To continue our discussion from last night.
I think Trump exceeds any previous Dem President for corruption, crudity and lack of focus.
Johnson exceeded Trump as a vote rigger - albeit before he became President.
Carter exceeded Trump for general uselessness.
Clinton exceeded Trump as a sexual harasser in the White House - Trump likely comes higher on a lifetime rating.
Obama exceeded Trump for allowing problems to grow with long term consequences.
Biden exceeded Trump for senility.
You are wrong on every count. Particularly your last point.
O/6 Must try harder!
Edit. I got over excited and counted your introduction.
Landslide Lyndon was a successful vote rigger, Trump was a failed vote rigger.
Consider Carter's dealing with Iran if you want to see uselessness.
Clinton - Monica Lewinsky and his lying about her.
Obama - The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back – A portion of a statement that Obama made in an October 2012 debate. In the debate, Obama was deriding an earlier Romney statement in the campaign that Russia is "without question, our No. 1 geopolitical foe." - to which you can add the economic problems which became intensified in the Obama era and led to Trump and Sanders populism.
Biden - so senile he managed to make Trump look fit for office in comparison.
That Trump managed to win in 2024 is the proof that I'm correct.
You're not correct. You're juxtaposing an absurdly sanguine view of Trump's crimes with the worst possible interpretation of all the Dems mistakes and misspeaks.
Remind me again how many days it took for the Biden administration to begin legal action against Trump ?
It should have been Day One instead it was over 700.
When the Dems decided, for their own purposes, to tolerate Trump's crimes the dam was broken.
On Mandelson; yet more evidence that bringing in political appointments to diplomatic posts is a stupid idea. Plush positions like US ambassador should be reserved for hard working civil servants, bless them.
On the same topic, £75,000 feels a lot to pay out for someone removed in disgrace, but then again he did procure two snooker tables for business department officials to enjoy, which presumably did wonderful things to mandarins wellbeing and productivity, so let's call it even from a taxpayers perspective.
'Dubai is finished': Expats say they will leave and never come back as tax-free dream is shattered by war and officials begin prosecuting people for posting videos of missiles
The UK's asylum appeals backlog has reached a record high, almost doubling in size in almost a year, according to data published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) on Thursday.
There were 80,333 appeals waiting to be heard at the end of 2025, up from 41,987 a year earlier and the average waiting time for an asylum appeal was 63 weeks, up from 48 weeks in 2024.
'Dubai is finished': Expats say they will leave and never come back as tax-free dream is shattered by war and officials begin prosecuting people for posting videos of missiles
Of course.Dubai is finished. Who would visit a country where visitors can't take photos of missiles.
Trump is delulu: "Jobs are coming in through the roof and we have factories being built all over the country. We've taken in $18 trillion plus in 11 months."
Another day, another, well, we'll see, at Cheltenham.
I come on here and read we are going to deport immigrants - I thought we already deported those whose applications for asylum were unsuccessful but it seems instead as was the case once with tax and spend, we are embarking on a dutch auction to see who can be the "hardest" on immigration. A fine example of what happens when your have Government and Opposition positions determined by focus groups and tweets rather than what is good for the country.
It also seems we want to continue with one of our stupidest moves in the past 30-40 years - there's no problem with taking infrastructure out of public hands but we sell it to foreign companies. Fine, we get a nice little sum in the coffers but longer term you end up with the spectacle of British consumers having to pay more for their electricity and gas to foreign companies who use that to subsidise the costs their home customers pay.
Poor foreign people aren't welcome but rich foreign companies are - we begrudge any money going to the former but we are happy to pay more than we should to the latter - makes no sense at all.
How do you explain so many favourites turned over by winners so far out in the betting at this Cheltenham Stodge?
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
Might be all of that or none of that.
Mullins has had a right go at Jon Pullin and Cheltenham over the going but the problem is the course drains so well and so quickly you can have the wettest January and February for years and you are still having to water to stop the ground going too fast.
At Auteuil, they water constantly to provide Soft or Heavy ground all year round and Cheltenham could provide that on one of the courses I imagine but the truth is the course just doesn't hold the moisture as it once did.
Throw in the nonsense of the starts and you get a meeting which for me is getting too big for its own boots. I'd take it back to three days and move some of the championship races to other tracks.
I'd also look seriously at having the whole Festival in mid February with the National at the end of February IF you want a soft ground spectacle.
You can't have the three main staying chases (the Betfair, the King George and the Gold Cup) all run on Good ground - you need to guarantee one can be run on genuinely soft or even heavy turf.
I'm sure the Ed Chamberlins of this world will have you believe Cheltenham is an unqualified triumph which, to paraphrase Mary Poppins, is "practically perfect in every way". It isn't and pandering to the crowds to get 60,000 every day through the gates misses the point if the racing itself is the victim whether it's the starts or the surface.
Those are big expansive {courageous in Yes, Minister} thoughts Stodge.
I get what you mean about the Tabloid Nature of the whole event - and Ed Chamberlin’s journalism. Yet there is still some National Sentimental value about this festival - moving it to February and hacking down to three days, although some thoughtful argument to it, would be like moving Nelson’s column to a different part of London.
I get what you mean about messy starts. Punters money to one side, a whole seasons targeting, a whole careers effort, are being wrecked in these farcical starts. If this was litigation capital USA the starter would be picked up by ICE this evening, impounded until trial where sentence would be something existential using starters tape.
I don’t get so much about the ground playing huge part. It’s been good to soft, soft in places today, good to soft, good in places first two days, many backed in to short favourite and evens should be able to manage such subtle change? I admit there are limits - both Lossiemouth’s defeats have come on heavier ground than this, but don’t we want superstar horses earning legend status, based on meeting challenge of different surfaces? some might never fully thrive on unfavourable ground, but there are a lot of training methods which can improve their weaker suit - it’s about working on different muscle groups isn’t it?
When I bumped off school to go round my nans for all horse racing not just Cheltenham, I’m sure the racing print media said: these are the contenders today based on this season. Now they seem to say, this is the winner you need to be on.
I'm in a bloody minded (or courageous) mood after today's racing.
I wasn't in favour of the original move to four days but the Festival will always be changing and evolving. The interesting thing this week has been the strong fields especially in the handicaps which has been rare in a season where even the bread and butter meetings have had poor fields. On Monday, for example, at Plumpton we had 39 runners in 7 races which is derisory.
Trimming 10% of jump meetings would be the best option but as we know the racecourses have all the power and turkeys rarely vote for Christmas so we'll continue with a bloated fixture list until something forces a change.
Ruby Walsh has an interesting idea about a "rolling" start (as in trotting or harness racing) with a moving tape - sounds plausible but we can see starting races near or on a bend is just ridiculous.
On the substantive, we've had a lot of horses who have won uncompetitive small field events now pitched into bigger fields, faster run races and much more what you could call hurly-burly than they have experienced and I suspect a number of horses haven't coped well with that.
I do agree the champions ought to perform on all types of surfaces and on all types of courses. Those who argue for an enhanced midwinter Festival at Kempton have a point - it's hard to imagine two more different tracks than Kempton and Cheltenham (IF Kempton closes, I would be looking to build up either Huntingdon or Wincanton) and if you have a horse who can win at both venues (such as KITZBUHEL) you have a very good horse on your hands.
'Dubai is finished': Expats say they will leave and never come back as tax-free dream is shattered by war and officials begin prosecuting people for posting videos of missiles
Of course.Dubai is finished. Who would visit a country where visitors can't take photos of missiles.
Comments
Charity bet. Loser pays to Battersea Dogs. Trust basis, no proof required. Word is our bond. English gentlemen.
Criteria: New job for Mandy of power and prestige. You say Yes, I say No.
Timeframe: by end of 2028
No further discussion. Accept with 'like'. Decline with no like.
Will check later. Busy with yoga.
Whoever is preferred for government, wins general elections in a row, in for 10-12 years. They tend to be hollowed out in catastrophic mid term election nights, even in their heartlands. So when an opposition is trusted with power at Westminster, they are instantly sitting on whole mountain of councillors they will struggle to defend.
It’s been 6 years of very Good Friday afternoons for the LibDems, I think look out for (or bet on) LibDems going backward in seats and councils they’ve picked up during these six years of plenty, losing to Conservatives, Greens, even Labour in a few redwallie places. Or, (and bet accordingly) if the LibDems don’t go backwards - this would be more educational for us about LibDenm chances of Parliamentary seat defences, if Conservatives cannot make in roads against LibDems at local level.
She has a behavioural issue.
She doesn't know when to stop.
She is unfit for high office
She cannot be allowed to have access to a nuclear key.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/mar/12/channel-4-under-fire-after-crufts-winners-animal-cruelty-conviction-emerges
https://x.com/Steven_Swinford/status/2032153523798802864
Sir Tony Blair told Jeffrey Epstein he had consulted a “wise religious man” for personal advice and discussed the “nature that religion plays in world conflicts” during a meeting in Downing Street, the Epstein files suggest
Epstein: “I met Tony at number 10. He told me then that his future goal was to understand the nature that religion plays in world conflicts. He told me that he had a wise religioius man in Austrailia that he would consult when he needed personal advice.'
She is lying
Sky, BBC various Newspapers tore her pathetic I turn to shreds
That the point Starmer was trying to make yesterday.
She dug a hole
She's never wrong
Notions of "regime change" and "freedom" for the Iranian people seem to be being sacrificed on the altar of oil prices.
Is Hormuz closed or open?
To this observer, it seems the Gulf States, who haven't been too badly affected by Iranian strikes, are quite happy to see oil prices near $100 a barrel - indeed, one could argue there are a lot of key players for whom higher oil works very well - Vladimir Putin will be happy, Donald Trump seems to be quite happy as well.
Our dependency on oil may not be quite as it was in 1973 but the truth is when supply is low and demand high, those with the oil do very nicely. The balance has been the other way for a while but no longer seemingly.
Looking at the New Zealand news,the domestic airline is cutting services and there's even talk of fuel rationing. Here. I note at my local Tesco's, petrol is 12p per litre higher than it was a fortnight ago.
The Iranian regime is battered and its capability to attack its neighbours reduced but it remains seemingly firmly in control and for all the boasts from Washington, there still seems the ability to hit shipping and oil related infrastructure.
They need sectioning.
Global oil price rises are all Starmer's fault
That what she is saying.
If we set an example by going to war with Iran and everyone else followed our lead, it would surely be over in no time, leading to a glut of oil on global markets.
Correct me where I have the science wrong, Punters back horses down to shorter odds - a few antepost fancied runners have drifted, and won, whilst some horses have come in on the betting in the last week to go off favourites and come nowhere - I should know, I was on them and watched them go backwards as 40-1 outsiders glided passed them.
It’s got to be something to do with where punters are getting their guidance? It should be based on what we have seen, evidence based? Course and distance hasn’t changed nor has the going.
Is mainstream media, alt and social media, pushing some runners without enough evidence, or journalism not previewing races objectively enough?
https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2010/jan/25/the-rev-peter-thomson-obituary
Your off your rocker
Thanks to 14 years and 22% cut in defence spending under Kemi Badenoch Tory Party our Armed Forces are hollowed out.
So let's assume we'd have gone all in, every available plane, ship
What difference would we have made
2% 3%??
Every citizen, city, town, village in this Country would be at risk to soothe the blinking idiots fucking vanity.
Exceptional post from @TheScreamingEagles with the Dire Straits references. I counted 8. Can’t believe you missed an opportunity to squeeze in “It Never Rains” or “Love over Gold”.
I’m with @MoonRabbit - Starmer has an easy out. Kemi would have preferred us to be involved offensively from the get-go. If she had been PM she would have had to reconcile her position with the increase in the cost of living. Good luck with that…
It's more about our ability to lead by example and encourage others to step up. Is Keir Starmer not a globally respected figure to whom people around the world look for guidance on moral and political questions? If people saw him getting involved, it would be a signal to the likes of Xi and Modi to get on the right side of history.
Mullins has had a right go at Jon Pullin and Cheltenham over the going but the problem is the course drains so well and so quickly you can have the wettest January and February for years and you are still having to water to stop the ground going too fast.
At Auteuil, they water constantly to provide Soft or Heavy ground all year round and Cheltenham could provide that on one of the courses I imagine but the truth is the course just doesn't hold the moisture as it once did.
Throw in the nonsense of the starts and you get a meeting which for me is getting too big for its own boots. I'd take it back to three days and move some of the championship races to other tracks.
I'd also look seriously at having the whole Festival in mid February with the National at the end of February IF you want a soft ground spectacle.
You can't have the three main staying chases (the Betfair, the King George and the Gold Cup) all run on Good ground - you need to guarantee one can be run on genuinely soft or even heavy turf.
I'm sure the Ed Chamberlins of this world will have you believe Cheltenham is an unqualified triumph which, to paraphrase Mary Poppins, is "practically perfect in every way". It isn't and pandering to the crowds to get 60,000 every day through the gates misses the point if the racing itself is the victim whether it's the starts or the surface.
What's petrol pump increases got to do with starmer
There is one absolute definitive way for America to end the war with Iran, and be totally victorious
Drop a nuke on Tehran, or Qom, or whatever
The Iranians would submit within hours, as did the Japanese in 1945
Trust me, I hate the Iranian regime and I'd be delighted to see the mullahs vapourised, but I am not keen on the idea of nukes falling across Persia. Nonetheless i can see how that might be a route out for a desperate Trump and a careless Bibi (who would probably like to see Iran levelled)
Admittedly no Qatar, Basra or Bahrain either, but you can't have everything.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNJnPnVgieU
Josias, you have been misssed!
Hopefully a few other PBers can reappear.
He is doing all he can to ensure Bibi "wins" in Iran.
Both could be in the same cell block in The Hague.
We may already be wading in the shit.
This past week my time has been taken up with hospital visits and family matters. As such, I’ve caught up with the news as and when. I know what Kemi has said. I know what Keir has said. Their positions have been pretty straightforward.
Kemi is being opportunistic and to argue that she would have done things differently and that the outcomes would have been different is ludicrous. If the UK had been involved in offensive operations from the start or had allowed the US to use UK territory for offensive actions would have produced the same results: higher oil prices, increased financial volatility and a higher cost of living. The end tesukt would be no different just because she stood at the Treasury despatch box and said that her approach was better.
It's funny, there are PBers I found quite irritating, and yet I miss themn too. eg Stuart Dickson. Also, Rod Crosby, he was brilliant if a bit mad about the Holocaust
The PB faithful understands her interpretation of what defensive.action means.
£50, deadline end of 2028. Done.
Hours studying form can regularly find legitimate handicap winners at double figure prices with enough regularity to make a profit.
I've had an 18!1 winner and 25/1,, and 33/1 each way places horses this week
Problem is it takes me an hour to research a 20 runner race so 1 or 2 max a day
So many variables
Handicap mark
Weigh
Going
Right or Left handed
Undulating or Flat
Trainer form
Jockey form
Mares tend to win at certain points of their cycle
I get what you mean about the Tabloid Nature of the whole event - and Ed Chamberlin’s journalism. Yet there is still some National Sentimental value about this festival - moving it to February and hacking down to three days, although some thoughtful argument to it, would be like moving Nelson’s column to a different part of London.
I get what you mean about messy starts. Punters money to one side, a whole seasons targeting, a whole careers effort, are being wrecked in these farcical starts. If this was litigation capital USA the starter would be picked up by ICE this evening, impounded until trial where sentence would be something existential using starters tape.
I don’t get so much about the ground playing huge part. It’s been good to soft, soft in places today, good to soft, good in places first two days, many backed in to short favourite and evens should be able to manage such subtle change? I admit there are limits - both Lossiemouth’s defeats have come on heavier ground than this, but don’t we want superstar horses earning legend status, based on meeting challenge of different surfaces? some might never fully thrive on unfavourable ground, but there are a lot of training methods which can improve their weaker suit - it’s about working on different muscle groups isn’t it?
When I bumped off school to go round my nans for all horse racing not just Cheltenham, I’m sure the racing print media said: these are the contenders today based on this season. Now they seem to say, this is the winner you need to be on.
I think Trump exceeds any previous Dem President for corruption, crudity and lack of focus.
Johnson exceeded Trump as a vote rigger - albeit before he became President.
Carter exceeded Trump for general uselessness.
Clinton exceeded Trump as a sexual harasser in the White House - Trump likely comes higher on a lifetime rating.
Obama exceeded Trump for allowing problems to grow with long term consequences.
Biden exceeded Trump for senility.
O/6 Must try harder!
Edit. I got over excited and counted your introduction.
Usually indicates THEY think the horse is ready for that race.
Do you wish to withdraw what you said about racing mares?
My latest prediction is, you are heading for a spell in “the toilets” or worse.
Instead Starmer is planning a 5p per litre tax grab, with VAT on top so 6p per litre tax raid altogether.
I honestly don't see how this World Cup will happen as planned. We're four months out and the president is threatening athletes? I don't see how any country can feel safe about sending their teams here, not to mention their fans, dignitaries, etc.
https://bsky.app/profile/maggiehendricks.bsky.social/post/3mguynfmf7c2e
@atrupar.com
Bessent: "That was always in our planning -- the chance that the US Navy or perhaps an international coalition will be escorting tankers through. There are tankers coming through now. We know that they have not mined the Straits."
https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mgv4uvzzww2m
The Trump administration could really restore confidence by getting the entire Cabinet to ride a tanker through the Straits of Hormuz to show everyone how safe and easy it is now.
They could bring along a lot of MAGA influencers and Fox News hosts to broadcast it all live!
https://bsky.app/profile/kevinmkruse.bsky.social/post/3mgv6vz64as2s
Consider Carter's dealing with Iran if you want to see uselessness.
Clinton - Monica Lewinsky and his lying about her.
Obama - The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back – A portion of a statement that Obama made in an October 2012 debate. In the debate, Obama was deriding an earlier Romney statement in the campaign that Russia is "without question, our No. 1 geopolitical foe." - to which you can add the economic problems which became intensified in the Obama era and led to Trump and Sanders populism.
Biden - so senile he managed to make Trump look fit for office in comparison.
That Trump managed to win in 2024 is the proof that I'm correct.
An example of how not to operate or behave in office.
Its what both parties generally and individual politicians personally learn from this era that will decide the USA's future governance.
Will they think of such things as never be repeated or as a reason to excuse their own future excesses ?
'Dubai is finished': Expats say they will leave and never come back as tax-free dream is shattered by war and officials begin prosecuting people for posting videos of missiles
18% Freedom in the World (cf. UK 92%)
28% Freedom on the Net (cf. UK 76%)
https://freedomhouse.org/uk/node/183
It should have been Day One instead it was over 700.
When the Dems decided, for their own purposes, to tolerate Trump's crimes the dam was broken.
On the same topic, £75,000 feels a lot to pay out for someone removed in disgrace, but then again he did procure two snooker tables for business department officials to enjoy, which presumably did wonderful things to mandarins wellbeing and productivity, so let's call it even from a taxpayers perspective.
There were 80,333 appeals waiting to be heard at the end of 2025, up from 41,987 a year earlier and the average waiting time for an asylum appeal was 63 weeks, up from 48 weeks in 2024.
@atrupar
Trump is delulu: "Jobs are coming in through the roof and we have factories being built all over the country. We've taken in $18 trillion plus in 11 months."
https://x.com/atrupar/status/2032193635454800139
I wasn't in favour of the original move to four days but the Festival will always be changing and evolving. The interesting thing this week has been the strong fields especially in the handicaps which has been rare in a season where even the bread and butter meetings have had poor fields. On Monday, for example, at Plumpton we had 39 runners in 7 races which is derisory.
Trimming 10% of jump meetings would be the best option but as we know the racecourses have all the power and turkeys rarely vote for Christmas so we'll continue with a bloated fixture list until something forces a change.
Ruby Walsh has an interesting idea about a "rolling" start (as in trotting or harness racing) with a moving tape - sounds plausible but we can see starting races near or on a bend is just ridiculous.
On the substantive, we've had a lot of horses who have won uncompetitive small field events now pitched into bigger fields, faster run races and much more what you could call hurly-burly than they have experienced and I suspect a number of horses haven't coped well with that.
I do agree the champions ought to perform on all types of surfaces and on all types of courses. Those who argue for an enhanced midwinter Festival at Kempton have a point - it's hard to imagine two more different tracks than Kempton and Cheltenham (IF Kempton closes, I would be looking to build up either Huntingdon or Wincanton) and if you have a horse who can win at both venues (such as KITZBUHEL) you have a very good horse on your hands.
It's not safe
It's full of Muslims
You can't go out in the dark
Where can they all go??