Re: Newark. I was impressed by the 'crossed every t, dotted every i' Tory candidate. He's started a business, been a managing director at Christies, qualified as a solicitor, had a law career, is immaculately groomed, handsome guy, got the wife and two kids etc.
He's only 31/ 32 years old. I don't know how he's done it. I'm the same age and haven't achieved a quarter of that. It does make me a bit suspicious. Has he really done all that?
Is part of that envy and jealousy? Absolutely. It makes me feel a bit inadequate. I just don't know how some people fit all this stuff into their lives, and at such a young age. It's not normal.
I never will, and if I did, God knows how I'd explain away my decidedly pedestrian CV in industry to a parliamentary selection panel.
Maybe you're a bit lazy - like me
Perhaps! It's not as if I don't work hard though. I spend 12+ hours today commuting into and working in London. It's just in the evenings I prefer to spend time with pb.com (and my wife!) and read a bit. At the weekend go for a walk, down the pub, get away for a break or go to see friends and family. I can't imagine that's too unusual.
There is a limit to how much I can be arsed though ;-)
Taking 12 hours to take a decision on this isn't that bad. And it got some more free publicity for UKIP. It won't do them any harm at all.
Not having a candidate in place (have they?) or allowing speculation about his replacement isn't that great - the local Tories were ready and promptly shut down Boris speculation. This by-election has been highly likely for nigh on a year. The Tories should capitalise on the lack of organisation and move the writ ASAP.
Farage got that right; Newark is not going to be a strategic focus for UKIP going forward, it would have distracted them from real targets. And there's a very real chance it'll be a big Tory hold.
Mr. Eagles, poor Luca Badoer. He was unlucky to be the poor sod who had to prove the rather obvious: namely that if you stop someone even using practice sessions to keep up to speed with F1 they just won't be able to hack it if thrust into the limelight.
Re: Newark. I was impressed by the 'crossed every t, dotted every i' Tory candidate. He's started a business, been a managing director at Christies, qualified as a solicitor, had a law career, is immaculately groomed, handsome guy, got the wife and two kids etc.
He's only 31/ 32 years old. I don't know how he's done it. I'm the same age and haven't achieved a quarter of that. It does make me a bit suspicious. Has he really done all that?
Is part of that envy and jealousy? Absolutely. It makes me feel a bit inadequate. I just don't know how some people fit all this stuff into their lives, and at such a young age. It's not normal.
I never will, and if I did, God knows how I'd explain away my decidedly pedestrian CV in industry to a parliamentary selection panel.
Mr Royale: not to worry - key thing is he and his family happy?
I had achieved all of those by that age (in industry) except the M before the D, but fortuitously I was at the right places at the right times - but it was very stressful as I lost both my parents before then whilst globetrotting. Both my sons followed my footsteps (but no children) whilst daughter dropped out of school, did her own thing and has a very happy family and job she loves whilst living in a warmer climate than ours.
Those whom the Gods wish to destroy they first send mad. Nigel Farage seems to be on the Gods' B list this morning.
No surprise on the decision we can move on.
This point, however, is more interesting - we know Farage is a good politician on his own terms with eg. journalists at arms length in the pub or playing the they-all-hate-us game.
But how good is he on someone else's terms? Being an MP will bring uncontrollable and unwanted challenges and attention.
Has he allowed an inflated sense of his abilities and importance to develop? Might he indeed be sent mad if subjected to the cut and thrust of MP-dom?
Mr. Eagles, poor Luca Badoer. He was unlucky to be the poor sod who had to prove the rather obvious: namely that if you stop someone even using practice sessions to keep up to speed with F1 they just won't be able to hack it if thrust into the limelight.
Luca Badoer could have had a million practise sessions and he still would be crap.
I do believe he is the chap who has completed the most laps in F1 history without winning a race.
UKIP in Bath - reminders to significant segment of audience that Heath lied, was intending to lie and history would show he was always lying over Federal Europe. Reminder from Farage that Clegg, Miliband and Cameron were identikit PPE clones - SPADs with no experience of world outside Westminster and politics. Plenty clapped. In many was it remains an anti modern politics party - shades of Italy after DC break up? Leaflet reminded voters about Greens forcing up energy, and firing salvoes off against The Coalition and Labour as well. No sign of the tiny crowd from Rentamob's politics group inside the hall. Whilst waiting to go in -hearing well heeled voices chanting UKIP scum off our streets, was the highlight of the evening. UKIP haven't made a convert.
Was it a full house? How did the audience react? Pro/anti?
Here's an appraisal [edit: of the Bath UKIP event] from a perhaps slightly unexpected quarter - an independent (in at least one sense!) observer who is nevertheless well aware of the implications.
UKIP = chumps. Winnable by election but your leader has bottled it. If your party believes it will hold ye balance of power in the next parliament then they need MPs. Getting Farage in would be a massive win and worth the gamble. Enough anti Tory voters would come out and lend him a vote to give the Tories a black eye to make a race of it.
Taking 12 hours to take a decision on this isn't that bad. And it got some more free publicity for UKIP. It won't do them any harm at all.
Not having a candidate in place (have they?) or allowing speculation about his replacement isn't that great - the local Tories were ready and promptly shut down Boris speculation. This by-election has been highly likely for nigh on a year. The Tories should capitalise on the lack of organisation and move the writ ASAP.
There's no UKIP candidate in place, Labour selected their candidate earlier in April, the Conservatives selected a candidate last year.
Would appear the media are falling over themselves, dancing to NFarage’s tune! – And now he has wimped out from standing in Newark.
Not sure who is looking more silly today, the media or Farage - and I guess this circus will continue until he eventually makes up his mind where he is going to stand.
This must be the first time I can remember in British politics when there is complete unanimity of Lab/Lib/Con in their hatred and fear of a fourth party.
…and unable to reduce UKIP's support.
Many happy returns Mr K. Hope your day goes well.
Indeed, happy birthday Mr K. Congratulations on reaching such a milestone.
Thank you guys, and all those PBers, Who wished me a happy 80th birthday today.
What Farage should have been saying this morning is "Of course I'm not standing - we have an excellent local candidate Jane Brown who has been speaking to local residents since her selection 6 months ago..."
Instead (if the Tories have any sense) we'll get a re-run of Eastleigh with the losing UKIP candidate complaining that the short campaign meant "we wuz robbed"....probably throwing in something about postal ballots for good measure....
This must be the first time I can remember in British politics when there is complete unanimity of Lab/Lib/Con in their hatred and fear of a fourth party.
…and unable to reduce UKIP's support.
Many happy returns Mr K. Hope your day goes well.
Indeed, happy birthday Mr K. Congratulations on reaching such a milestone.
Thank you guys, and all those PBers, Who wished me a happy 80th birthday today.
Please add me to that list - happy birthday! It's quite a milestone.
Very good decision by Farage not to stand for all the reasons I outlined yesterday. Newark is not fertile UKIP territory and although I will happily be over there campaigning for UKIP (I moved about 15 miles out of the constituency a few years ago) I do not think they have a serious chance of winning.
I still think this will have far more to do with the town's demographic than the Tory candidate who I believe is a poor choice for the constituency.
This must be the first time I can remember in British politics when there is complete unanimity of Lab/Lib/Con in their hatred and fear of a fourth party.
…and unable to reduce UKIP's support.
Many happy returns Mr K. Hope your day goes well.
Indeed, happy birthday Mr K. Congratulations on reaching such a milestone.
Thank you guys, and all those PBers, Who wished me a happy 80th birthday today.
F1: Malaysia are apparently going to try and re-negotiate their contract. Could happen, or could lead to the race being axed. The climate isn't great for drivers.
And Renault reckon they'll get the engine to nearly 100% by Canada. I'm going to pay close attention, with a view to backing Red Bull for the Constructors, depending how things go.
Mercedes have a huge advantage and, unlike Brawn, have the means to develop their car all year. But Red Bull *are* the best aerodynamically. Their reliability could be better, though, and Vettel needs to rediscover his form.
This must be the first time I can remember in British politics when there is complete unanimity of Lab/Lib/Con in their hatred and fear of a fourth party.
…and unable to reduce UKIP's support.
Many happy returns Mr K. Hope your day goes well.
Indeed, happy birthday Mr K. Congratulations on reaching such a milestone.
Thank you guys, and all those PBers, Who wished me a happy 80th birthday today.
Happy Birthday Young Man.
May your friends send you a stripper for every birthday you've had.
It's drivel. Just because Americans buy flat whites and haircuts off each other in the world's reserve currency does not make them the biggest economy by far. Fact is, China is the world's biggest manufacturer, the biggest energy consumer, the biggest trader, the 2nd largest consumer (and soon the first).
It therefore makes total sense that China is very close to being the world's biggest economy: much closer than we realise. It is already, in most meaningful senses of the term, the most important economy.
But if you don't believe what I say, take it up with The Economist.
"China will be crowned the world's pre-eminent country by the end of this year according to The Economist’s calculations. The American Century ends, and the Pacific Century begins."
I remember similiar things being stated about Japan in the mid to late 1980's. Then the Japanese economy went pop.
and if you look closely at China, there are a lot of things that imply it could be heading the same way. Trillions of investment in ghost cities with no plausible inhabitants....
Also while China may be bigger its got 3-4 times the population of the USA. Yes the total economy may be bigger, but per capita is a quarter of the size.
UKIP = chumps. Winnable by election but your leader has bottled it. If your party believes it will hold ye balance of power in the next parliament then they need MPs. Getting Farage in would be a massive win and worth the gamble. Enough anti Tory voters would come out and lend him a vote to give the Tories a black eye to make a race of it.
Not winnable - or at least no more than 10% chance. All those claiming otherwise clearly do not know the seat.
This must be the first time I can remember in British politics when there is complete unanimity of Lab/Lib/Con in their hatred and fear of a fourth party.
…and unable to reduce UKIP's support.
Many happy returns Mr K. Hope your day goes well.
Indeed, happy birthday Mr K. Congratulations on reaching such a milestone.
Thank you guys, and all those PBers, Who wished me a happy 80th birthday today.
Oh and for the record. Right decision from Farage but bloody awful expectations management. He should have killed the speculation dead last night before it even started. There has been plenty of warning that this by-election might be called and UKIP should have had a strategy in place to deal with the speculation weeks ago.
If Farage had already declared for South Thanet this wouldnt be such an issue now.
The only good reason for Farage not declaring himself a candidate for South Thanet now is so that he is free to stand in a winnable by-election first.
If Newark is not a winnable by-election for UKIP - because they did not even save their deposit here last time, took less than 20% of the vote in the local elections last year, etc - then it does not seem like there are all that many seats which are. This suggests that Farage really should simply decide where he is going to stand next year and get on with campaigning in that seat.
Someone mentioned that UKIP are likely to complain about the short campaign potentially robbing them of a fair chance at winning the by-election. If Farage were to declare now that he was standing in South Thanet at the next GE then he effectively creates a one-year campaign for election in that seat.
I wonder how Lib Dems and Labour (both locally and in leadership terms) will approach the by-election. A UKIP win would harm the blues, but would also mean that the purples would be taken more seriously and perhaps have better prospects at the General Election. UKIP isn't only a problem for the Conservatives. They've long outpolled the Lib Dems, they're leading the European election forecasts and appear more attractive to WWC sorts than Ed Miliband (perhaps unsurprisingly).
If the left start feeding the hatchling that's nipping at Conservatives heels they may find it'll grow into a dragon sooner than they expect.
You have no evidence that Ukip are more attractive to the WWC than Labour. In fact, if you look at the actual voting numbers you'll find the opposite...
UKIP in Bath - reminders to significant segment of audience that Heath lied, was intending to lie and history would show he was always lying over Federal Europe. Reminder from Farage that Clegg, Miliband and Cameron were identikit PPE clones - SPADs with no experience of world outside Westminster and politics. Plenty clapped. In many was it remains an anti modern politics party - shades of Italy after DC break up? Leaflet reminded voters about Greens forcing up energy, and firing salvoes off against The Coalition and Labour as well. No sign of the tiny crowd from Rentamob's politics group inside the hall. Whilst waiting to go in -hearing well heeled voices chanting UKIP scum off our streets, was the highlight of the evening. UKIP haven't made a convert.
Was it a full house? How did the audience react? Pro/anti?
Here's an appraisal [edit: of the Bath UKIP event] from a perhaps slightly unexpected quarter - an independent (in at least one sense!) observer who is nevertheless well aware of the implications.
An observer whose interests are directly served by creating the impression that UKIP represents majority opinion in England. Can't think why!!!
Meanwhile, presumably Alyn Smith the SNP MEP will shortly be calling on the LDs to withdraw their scurrilous allegations over what he said at a Scottish Law Society meeting last night or face legal action:
... At a debate organised by the Law Society in Scotland, Alyn Smith, SNP MEP, said that the SNP leadership should admit that they had made a mistake over an independent Scotland’s EU membership. They assert that they would be able to get in with the same terms as the rest of the UK, despite a growing pile of evidence to the contrary. There is little doubt that an independent Scotland would get EU membership at some point, but the terms and the speed at which it would happen are far from clear. Smith told the astonished crowd that the SNP leadership had not listened to his advice that membership would not be as automatic as they had claimed.
UKIP = chumps. Winnable by election but your leader has bottled it. If your party believes it will hold ye balance of power in the next parliament then they need MPs. Getting Farage in would be a massive win and worth the gamble. Enough anti Tory voters would come out and lend him a vote to give the Tories a black eye to make a race of it.
Not winnable - or at least no more than 10% chance. All those claiming otherwise clearly do not know the seat.
With a regular candidate that is true. With Farage his appeal would be wider than the party, and enough aanti Tory voters would come out to make it into a race. One which Farage could win where other UKIP candidates would not.
UKIP in Bath - reminders to significant segment of audience that Heath lied, was intending to lie and history would show he was always lying over Federal Europe. Reminder from Farage that Clegg, Miliband and Cameron were identikit PPE clones - SPADs with no experience of world outside Westminster and politics. Plenty clapped. In many was it remains an anti modern politics party - shades of Italy after DC break up? Leaflet reminded voters about Greens forcing up energy, and firing salvoes off against The Coalition and Labour as well. No sign of the tiny crowd from Rentamob's politics group inside the hall. Whilst waiting to go in -hearing well heeled voices chanting UKIP scum off our streets, was the highlight of the evening. UKIP haven't made a convert.
Was it a full house? How did the audience react? Pro/anti?
Here's an appraisal [edit: of the Bath UKIP event] from a perhaps slightly unexpected quarter - an independent (in at least one sense!) observer who is nevertheless well aware of the implications.
It's drivel. Just because Americans buy flat whites and haircuts off each other in the world's reserve currency does not make them the biggest economy by far. Fact is, China is the world's biggest manufacturer, the biggest energy consumer, the biggest trader, the 2nd largest consumer (and soon the first).
It therefore makes total sense that China is very close to being the world's biggest economy: much closer than we realise. It is already, in most meaningful senses of the term, the most important economy.
But if you don't believe what I say, take it up with The Economist.
"China will be crowned the world's pre-eminent country by the end of this year according to The Economist’s calculations. The American Century ends, and the Pacific Century begins."
I remember similiar things being stated about Japan in the mid to late 1980's. Then the Japanese economy went pop.
Like when the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo were worth more than all the real estate in California?
Where do Ukip consider to be fertile territory if not a rural backwater in fruit picking country with loads of old people and hardly any ethnic minorities?
Nigel Farage made the right descision but it won't stop the Tories and media saying he's crap and frit.
Nigel Farage = Luca Badoer
Correct. As SeanT says, he should have squashed it instantly, and this is mildly embarrassing. But going in and losing badly would have been potentially terminal - miuch better to be teased by the media for 24 hours.
Nigel Farage was accused of "bottling it" today after raising the prospect of standing in and winning the Newark by-election, only to walk away from the fight.
In what could prove to be a major miscalculation, Farage had raised the prospect of "completely [changing] the political landscape" by winning the seat and insisted that his victory would even force David Cameron to resign.
Oh and for the record. Right decision from Farage but bloody awful expectations management. He should have killed the speculation dead last night before it even started.
They did the same think over Mr Clegg's debate challenge. They used the media interest to increase attention on Mr Farage's next media appearance, when he would give his answer. So this was a deliberate choice, not UKIP faffing about.
"Had dinner with Adam Boulton and the Sky News team tonight, as they prepare for election coverage of potential winning PPCs - all off the record so I won't quote anything, but an interesting session and illuminating about the leader debates."
Maybe you could point Adam Boulton in the direction of my candidates' list if you see him again. I don't think anyone else is doing one. --------------
OK - I have an email for follow-ups. Remind me what it comprises exactly and how to contact you?
Probably the right decision by Farage - somebody else needs the publicity.
Sorry to go off-topic, but can someone explain the excitement about the new "Star Wars" film. I like sci-fi, but when the first film came out, it seemed to be a children's film, a comic book take-off.
And these so-called Jedi Knights fighting with a light sabre? I did like the scene in one of the Indiana Jones films where Indiana is confronted by a baddie who starts doing all the moves with his sword. Indiana pulls out a gun and shoots him. Exactly. Like the early stages of the Great War when the generals believed that a bayonet would beat the machine gun.
Oh, and can I annoy everyone else by saying that Dr Who is equally childish.
But I thought Dune was great but not as good as the book.
I wonder how Lib Dems and Labour (both locally and in leadership terms) will approach the by-election. A UKIP win would harm the blues, but would also mean that the purples would be taken more seriously and perhaps have better prospects at the General Election. UKIP isn't only a problem for the Conservatives. They've long outpolled the Lib Dems, they're leading the European election forecasts and appear more attractive to WWC sorts than Ed Miliband (perhaps unsurprisingly).
If the left start feeding the hatchling that's nipping at Conservatives heels they may find it'll grow into a dragon sooner than they expect.
You have no evidence that Ukip are more attractive to the WWC than Labour. In fact, if you look at the actual voting numbers you'll find the opposite...
Like it or not UKIP rings a bell on immigration, but there's an awful lot about the party that Labour should be able to get its teeth into, not least its lionisation of neo-liberal economics and its claims to be the true keepers of the Thatcherite flame - neither of which is likely to appeal to the Labour-inclined, least of all working class voters whose communities collapsed during the 80s and 90s and have never recovered. What it means, though, is getting a lot more active in areas that Labour has taken for granted for far too long.
UKIP in Bath - reminders to significant segment of audience that Heath lied, was intending to lie and history would show he was always lying over Federal Europe. Reminder from Farage that Clegg, Miliband and Cameron were identikit PPE clones - SPADs with no experience of world outside Westminster and politics. Plenty clapped. In many was it remains an anti modern politics party - shades of Italy after DC break up? Leaflet reminded voters about Greens forcing up energy, and firing salvoes off against The Coalition and Labour as well. No sign of the tiny crowd from Rentamob's politics group inside the hall. Whilst waiting to go in -hearing well heeled voices chanting UKIP scum off our streets, was the highlight of the evening. UKIP haven't made a convert.
Was it a full house? How did the audience react? Pro/anti?
Here's an appraisal [edit: of the Bath UKIP event] from a perhaps slightly unexpected quarter - an independent (in at least one sense!) observer who is nevertheless well aware of the implications.
Oh and for the record. Right decision from Farage but bloody awful expectations management. He should have killed the speculation dead last night before it even started. There has been plenty of warning that this by-election might be called and UKIP should have had a strategy in place to deal with the speculation weeks ago.
Fair summary - but they should have had a candidate in place - this goes to their overall organisational competence.
Where do Ukip consider to be fertile territory if not a rural backwater in fruit picking country with loads of old people and hardly any ethnic minorities?
It's game on for another battle of Balcombe and Charles Metcalfe, from Frack Free Balcombe Residents Association, said: "This is going to give the go-ahead for other companies all over Sussex [and] all over the Weald basin.
"We're talking Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire - it's going to really proliferate and change this part of the country."
UKIP in Bath - reminders to significant segment of audience that Heath lied, was intending to lie and history would show he was always lying over Federal Europe. Reminder from Farage that Clegg, Miliband and Cameron were identikit PPE clones - SPADs with no experience of world outside Westminster and politics. Plenty clapped. In many was it remains an anti modern politics party - shades of Italy after DC break up? Leaflet reminded voters about Greens forcing up energy, and firing salvoes off against The Coalition and Labour as well. No sign of the tiny crowd from Rentamob's politics group inside the hall. Whilst waiting to go in -hearing well heeled voices chanting UKIP scum off our streets, was the highlight of the evening. UKIP haven't made a convert.
Was it a full house? How did the audience react? Pro/anti?
Here's an appraisal [edit: of the Bath UKIP event] from a perhaps slightly unexpected quarter - an independent (in at least one sense!) observer who is nevertheless well aware of the implications.
UKIP chances aside, I find it encouraging that a public electoral meeting can generate 700+ attendees. I like it that the rentamob who wanted to disrupt and intimidate failed. Very positive stuff.
Where do Ukip consider to be fertile territory if not a rural backwater in fruit picking country with loads of old people and hardly any ethnic minorities?
And a large Polish community. Hardly 'fertile'.
Isn't Boston also known for large amounts of Poles? This, we are told, is a Kipper stronghold.
Where do Ukip consider to be fertile territory if not a rural backwater in fruit picking country with loads of old people and hardly any ethnic minorities?
And a large Polish community. Hardly 'fertile'.
Most of the seats that people talk of as potential UKIP targets have big immigrant communities, don't they?
I remember when I first started predicting this Chinese 'sorpasso' on pb, about 6 years ago. And I was roundly derided by.... well, you know who you are.
"Where do Ukip consider to be fertile territory if not a rural backwater in fruit picking country with loads of old people and hardly any ethnic minorities?"
Oh and for the record. Right decision from Farage but bloody awful expectations management. He should have killed the speculation dead last night before it even started.
They did the same think over Mr Clegg's debate challenge. They used the media interest to increase attention on Mr Farage's next media appearance, when he would give his answer. So this was a deliberate choice, not UKIP faffing about.
But with the debate challenge he then accepted. This time he didn't. Increasing the hype doesn;t work if you've got an anti-climax planned.
He didn't. It was a full scale onslaught by by the MSM and the Lab/Lib/Con urging Farage to stand, in the hope of him coming 2nd or worse. His reasons for declining the poison chalice was sound and politicly wise.
UKIP in Bath - reminders to significant segment of audience that Heath lied, was intending to lie and history would show he was always lying over Federal Europe. Reminder from Farage that Clegg, Miliband and Cameron were identikit PPE clones - SPADs with no experience of world outside Westminster and politics. Plenty clapped. In many was it remains an anti modern politics party - shades of Italy after DC break up? Leaflet reminded voters about Greens forcing up energy, and firing salvoes off against The Coalition and Labour as well. No sign of the tiny crowd from Rentamob's politics group inside the hall. Whilst waiting to go in -hearing well heeled voices chanting UKIP scum off our streets, was the highlight of the evening. UKIP haven't made a convert.
Was it a full house? How did the audience react? Pro/anti?
Here's an appraisal [edit: of the Bath UKIP event] from a perhaps slightly unexpected quarter - an independent (in at least one sense!) observer who is nevertheless well aware of the implications.
And from what I heard tonight, even in a longtime Lib Dem city that owes much of its livelihood to European tourists, and as such is both familiar and comfortable with “foreigners”, that referendum is only going to go one way.
Where do Ukip consider to be fertile territory if not a rural backwater in fruit picking country with loads of old people and hardly any ethnic minorities?
And a large Polish community. Hardly 'fertile'.
Isn't Boston also known for large amounts of Poles? This, we are told, is a Kipper stronghold.
Nope Boston has a large Portuguese population rather than Polish.
But the nationality is not the important factor. It is the time since arrival. Newark has a large Polish descendant population as it was where the Polish Airborne forces were based and trained in WW2. Many stayed after the war and the leader of the Free Poles was buried in the town until about a decade ago. I grew up surrounded by Poles without even knowing it (which I mean as a positive thing). This population then attracted more Poles to the town during the Solidarity era and of course more again after Poland joined the EU. So the local view of Eastern European migration is rather different to that of other places which might have seena more sudden influx with corresponding tensions.
Probably the right decision by Farage - somebody else needs the publicity.
Sorry to go off-topic, but can someone explain the excitement about the new "Star Wars" film. I like sci-fi, but when the first film came out, it seemed to be a children's film, a comic book take-off.
And these so-called Jedi Knights fighting with a light sabre? I did like the scene in one of the Indiana Jones films where Indiana is confronted by a baddie who starts doing all the moves with his sword. Indiana pulls out a gun and shoots him. Exactly. Like the early stages of the Great War when the generals believed that a bayonet would beat the machine gun.
Oh, and can I annoy everyone else by saying that Dr Who is equally childish.
But I thought Dune was great but not as good as the book.
I agree with much of that. But I have a fondness for episodes 4-6 because I grew up with them. Return of the Jedi is the second film I can remember seeing at the cinema, after ET. Episodes 4-6 may also have a simple story at heart, but it is well told. They take me back to my childhood.
Perhaps the disadvantage of light sabres you mention just increases the Jedi's mystique with the audience? They're seemingly at a disadvantage and yet fight and (mostly) win despite that disadvantage.
Utterly agree about Dr Who. It is a dire pastiche of science fiction. They need to get some good writers in. It'd be interesting to see what a J. Michael Straczynski-written Dr Who series would be like.
Re: Newark. I was impressed by the 'crossed every t, dotted every i' Tory candidate. He's started a business, been a managing director at Christies, qualified as a solicitor, had a law career, is immaculately groomed, handsome guy, got the wife and two kids etc.
He's only 31/ 32 years old. I don't know how he's done it. I'm the same age and haven't achieved a quarter of that. It does make me a bit suspicious. Has he really done all that?
Is part of that envy and jealousy? Absolutely. It makes me feel a bit inadequate. I just don't know how some people fit all this stuff into their lives, and at such a young age. It's not normal.
I never will, and if I did, God knows how I'd explain away my decidedly pedestrian CV in industry to a parliamentary selection panel.
Mr Royale: not to worry - key thing is he and his family happy?
I had achieved all of those by that age (in industry) except the M before the D, but fortuitously I was at the right places at the right times - but it was very stressful as I lost both my parents before then whilst globetrotting. Both my sons followed my footsteps (but no children) whilst daughter dropped out of school, did her own thing and has a very happy family and job she loves whilst living in a warmer climate than ours.
Sorry to hear about your parents, Financier. Thanks for the reassurance too. You're absolutely right: happiness is what matters. Personally, I am quite risk averse and don't deal with stress and responsibility very well. I also have enough commitment and obligation I my life as it is. I'd feel constrained and unfree if I had any more. There was a 2 year period of my career in a major global firm when I was on an 'upward' trajectory, and I hated it. It made me miserable. I also saw what it had done to some of the very senior directors and partners. I didn't like what I saw and weren't convinced all of them were happy either.
It was slightly tongue in cheek, but I wonder if I was partly influenced by the famous Daily Mash t-shirt as well! "Having a goal is pointless, and stressful. No one cares if you're 'successful', and neither should you."
I had a bit of an epiphany. You're only here once and should do what makes you happy. As long as I have a good income, can spend my free time doing the things I enjoy doing with my wife, friends and family, that's enough for me.
I wonder how Lib Dems and Labour (both locally and in leadership terms) will approach the by-election. A UKIP win would harm the blues, but would also mean that the purples would be taken more seriously and perhaps have better prospects at the General Election. UKIP isn't only a problem for the Conservatives. They've long outpolled the Lib Dems, they're leading the European election forecasts and appear more attractive to WWC sorts than Ed Miliband (perhaps unsurprisingly).
If the left start feeding the hatchling that's nipping at Conservatives heels they may find it'll grow into a dragon sooner than they expect.
You have no evidence that Ukip are more attractive to the WWC than Labour. In fact, if you look at the actual voting numbers you'll find the opposite...
[UKIP] lionisation of neo-liberal economics.
Are you sure about that? (I know it can be difficult to keep track.....) - but some of the things I've heard recently struck me as classic "old Labour"......
He didn't. It was a full scale onslaught by by the MSM and the Lab/Lib/Con urging Farage to stand, in the hope of him coming 2nd or worse. His reasons for declining the poison chalice was sound and politicly wise.
He did. The speculation began when he said that he'd "seriously consider" standing if the by-election was post-Euros.
He didn't. It was a full scale onslaught by by the MSM and the Lab/Lib/Con urging Farage to stand, in the hope of him coming 2nd or worse. His reasons for declining the poison chalice was sound and politicly wise.
Nonsense, it was media speculation entirely generated by Farage's prevarications - I suggest you read @Richard_Tyndall's comment below as to who should shoulder the blame.
And many happy returns of the day MrK - quite and achievement, enjoy your day.
Comments
There is a limit to how much I can be arsed though ;-)
Farage sensibly ignores media pressure for him to stand in Newark. Very little gain for him. Lots of downside.
Tim Montgomerie @TimMontgomerie 1m
Ken Clarke goes on the radio to defend the EU and the Euro. Has Conservative HQ gone mad?
LOL......... ;D
I had achieved all of those by that age (in industry) except the M before the D, but fortuitously I was at the right places at the right times - but it was very stressful as I lost both my parents before then whilst globetrotting. Both my sons followed my footsteps (but no children) whilst daughter dropped out of school, did her own thing and has a very happy family and job she loves whilst living in a warmer climate than ours.
But he does need to get well behind whoever UKIP pick to be their candidate.
This point, however, is more interesting - we know Farage is a good politician on his own terms with eg. journalists at arms length in the pub or playing the they-all-hate-us game.
But how good is he on someone else's terms? Being an MP will bring uncontrollable and unwanted challenges and attention.
Has he allowed an inflated sense of his abilities and importance to develop? Might he indeed be sent mad if subjected to the cut and thrust of MP-dom?
I do believe he is the chap who has completed the most laps in F1 history without winning a race.
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/politics/politics-headlines/secret-miliband-brother-blows-contest-wide-open-201009143084
Quite agree with your conclusion.
http://wingsoverscotland.com/the-belly-of-the-beast/#more-54179
@gabyhinsliff: While bottling yet another by election, obv. Make of that what you will.
@IanDunt: Farage says he's a "fighter and a warrior". He's all talk and no trousers.
@jameskirkup: Nigel Farage bottles it. Again.
@Dannythefink: Nigel Farage's conclusion that Newark is not a suitable seat for Ukip raises interesting strategic question- where is?
Mr. Eagles, wasn't he with Minardi or somesuch, early on?
He's a joker, he's a smoker, he's a midnight talker, Some people call him Maurice.
Would appear the media are falling over themselves, dancing to NFarage’s tune! – And now he has wimped out from standing in Newark.
Not sure who is looking more silly today, the media or Farage - and I guess this circus will continue until he eventually makes up his mind where he is going to stand.
“He also knows how to smile properly, instead of looking like someone who’s just shat themselves.”
Instead (if the Tories have any sense) we'll get a re-run of Eastleigh with the losing UKIP candidate complaining that the short campaign meant "we wuz robbed"....probably throwing in something about postal ballots for good measure....
He was with Minardi.
I did Luca a disservice.
Badoer holds the record for the most Grand Prix starts – 50 – and the most race laps completed – 2364 – without scoring a point
I still think this will have far more to do with the town's demographic than the Tory candidate who I believe is a poor choice for the constituency.
And Renault reckon they'll get the engine to nearly 100% by Canada. I'm going to pay close attention, with a view to backing Red Bull for the Constructors, depending how things go.
Mercedes have a huge advantage and, unlike Brawn, have the means to develop their car all year. But Red Bull *are* the best aerodynamically. Their reliability could be better, though, and Vettel needs to rediscover his form.
Very, very interesting season, I think.
May your friends send you a stripper for every birthday you've had.
and if you look closely at China, there are a lot of things that imply it could be heading the same way. Trillions of investment in ghost cities with no plausible inhabitants....
Also while China may be bigger its got 3-4 times the population of the USA. Yes the total economy may be bigger, but per capita is a quarter of the size.
Sorry, not had a chance to catch up on past threads - what happened wrt Boris standing pls
If Newark is not a winnable by-election for UKIP - because they did not even save their deposit here last time, took less than 20% of the vote in the local elections last year, etc - then it does not seem like there are all that many seats which are. This suggests that Farage really should simply decide where he is going to stand next year and get on with campaigning in that seat.
Someone mentioned that UKIP are likely to complain about the short campaign potentially robbing them of a fair chance at winning the by-election. If Farage were to declare now that he was standing in South Thanet at the next GE then he effectively creates a one-year campaign for election in that seat.
Meanwhile, presumably Alyn Smith the SNP MEP will shortly be calling on the LDs to withdraw their scurrilous allegations over what he said at a Scottish Law Society meeting last night or face legal action:
... At a debate organised by the Law Society in Scotland, Alyn Smith, SNP MEP, said that the SNP leadership should admit that they had made a mistake over an independent Scotland’s EU membership. They assert that they would be able to get in with the same terms as the rest of the UK, despite a growing pile of evidence to the contrary. There is little doubt that an independent Scotland would get EU membership at some point, but the terms and the speed at which it would happen are far from clear.
Smith told the astonished crowd that the SNP leadership had not listened to his advice that membership would not be as automatic as they had claimed.
http://www.libdemvoice.org/trouble-in-paradisesnp-mep-says-leadership-should-admit-they-made-a-mistake-over-independent-scotlands-eu-membership-39589.html
Ladbrokes http://bit.ly/c5gpH6 tighten the odds on CON victory in Newark following Farage news
8/11 CON
5/2 UKIP (out from 2/1)
10/3 Lab
TNS BMRB poll on the Euros
UKIP 36%
Lab 27%
Con 18%
LD 10%
Others 9%
Ukip attracts some WWC voters, yet the WWC overall votes overwhelmingly Labour.
AndyJS said:
"Had dinner with Adam Boulton and the Sky News team tonight, as they prepare for election coverage of potential winning PPCs - all off the record so I won't quote anything, but an interesting session and illuminating about the leader debates."
Maybe you could point Adam Boulton in the direction of my candidates' list if you see him again. I don't think anyone else is doing one.
--------------
OK - I have an email for follow-ups. Remind me what it comprises exactly and how to contact you?
Sorry to go off-topic, but can someone explain the excitement about the new "Star Wars" film. I like sci-fi, but when the first film came out, it seemed to be a children's film, a comic book take-off.
And these so-called Jedi Knights fighting with a light sabre? I did like the scene in one of the Indiana Jones films where Indiana is confronted by a baddie who starts doing all the moves with his sword. Indiana pulls out a gun and shoots him. Exactly. Like the early stages of the Great War when the generals believed that a bayonet would beat the machine gun.
Oh, and can I annoy everyone else by saying that Dr Who is equally childish.
But I thought Dune was great but not as good as the book.
Even conhome are putting the boot in
Missing: Please send on to Nigel Farage if you can
http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2014/04/missing-please-send-on-to-nigel_farage-if-you-can.html
UKIP plus 7, Lab minus 3, Con minus 3, LDs plus 1
"We're talking Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire - it's going to really proliferate and change this part of the country."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-27204264
did he explain this on the interview?
"Where do Ukip consider to be fertile territory if not a rural backwater in fruit picking country with loads of old people and hardly any ethnic minorities?"
Go East, young man.
"in", if he's been reading the polls......
But the nationality is not the important factor. It is the time since arrival. Newark has a large Polish descendant population as it was where the Polish Airborne forces were based and trained in WW2. Many stayed after the war and the leader of the Free Poles was buried in the town until about a decade ago. I grew up surrounded by Poles without even knowing it (which I mean as a positive thing). This population then attracted more Poles to the town during the Solidarity era and of course more again after Poland joined the EU. So the local view of Eastern European migration is rather different to that of other places which might have seena more sudden influx with corresponding tensions.
Perhaps the disadvantage of light sabres you mention just increases the Jedi's mystique with the audience? They're seemingly at a disadvantage and yet fight and (mostly) win despite that disadvantage.
Utterly agree about Dr Who. It is a dire pastiche of science fiction. They need to get some good writers in. It'd be interesting to see what a J. Michael Straczynski-written Dr Who series would be like.
It was slightly tongue in cheek, but I wonder if I was partly influenced by the famous Daily Mash t-shirt as well! "Having a goal is pointless, and stressful. No one cares if you're 'successful', and neither should you."
I had a bit of an epiphany. You're only here once and should do what makes you happy. As long as I have a good income, can spend my free time doing the things I enjoy doing with my wife, friends and family, that's enough for me.
But it's probably a wise move to be honest... if Farage failed then it would be an big issue for the party.
And many happy returns of the day MrK - quite and achievement, enjoy your day.