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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » The GOP nomination race: Pollsters now asking, with a serio

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  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    GOP debate on FBN tonight - happy hour at 7pm, main at 9pm (eastern).

    BBC pedigree - Jerry Baker (WSJ editor) is on the panel.

    Interesting note - Jeb Bush has scheduled a conference call with his major donors tonight after the debate..
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    Sean_F said:

    Tim_B said:

    isam said:
    Do they get the virgins in hell, or hookers?
    Be careful what you wish for.

    The virgins in question may be 1. Male 2. Non-human.
    What's wrong with being an animal lover? ;)
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    @TelePolitics: Jeremy Corbyn to swear to be Queen's servant when he joins the Privy Council https://t.co/VBz23IKxAy
  • Tim_B said:

    isam said:
    Do they get the virgins in hell, or hookers?
    It was pointed out to me that there is a Highway to Hell but only a Stairway to Heaven. It is clear where the volume of traffic is expected!
    Chris Rea 24/7 downstairs.

    Wall to Wall LZ in heaven

    Enough to make me rethink my atheist position
    This is the sort of music you hear in heaven:

    http://bringvictory.com/
  • isam said:

    "Muslim voters in Birmingham 'told they would go to hell if they didn't vote Labour'"

    Well, at least that's a solid reason.
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 22,736

    Tim_B said:

    isam said:
    Do they get the virgins in hell, or hookers?
    It was pointed out to me that there is a Highway to Hell but only a Stairway to Heaven. It is clear where the volume of traffic is expected!
    Chris Rea 24/7 downstairs.

    Wall to Wall LZ in heaven

    Enough to make me rethink my atheist position
    Though Talking Heads view of heaven is not quite so appealling:

    http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H506K66A3xo
    More worried about Wall to Wall Chris Rea and meeting Thatcher myself
  • runnymederunnymede Posts: 2,536
    Muslim voters in Birmingham 'told they would go to hell if they didn't vote Labour

    How would they tell the difference?
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 120,016
    edited November 2015

    isam said:

    "Muslim voters in Birmingham 'told they would go to hell if they didn't vote Labour'"

    Well, at least that's a solid reason.
    Edit: Runnymede beat me to it.
  • On topic: the guy is bonkers. What's most worrying is not so much that he's on the GOP line up and temporarily polling well - we're used to that from previous election cycles - but that he's had positions of responsibility as a surgeon and working for John Hopkins, which I'd always regarded as a serious medical and academic institution.
  • On Tory civil war: err, really? Bill Cash, Peter Bone, Bernard Jenkin, Jacob Rees-Mogg, David Nuttall? All sound chaps, no doubt, but it's hardly a surprise that they're not sudden converts to the Remain camp.
  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    On topic: the guy is bonkers. What's most worrying is not so much that he's on the GOP line up and temporarily polling well - we're used to that from previous election cycles - but that he's had positions of responsibility as a surgeon and working for John Hopkins, which I'd always regarded as a serious medical and academic institution.

    I have been inside the great pyramid. It is a pretty horrible and claustrophobic place. I think that the grain storage capacity would be fairly limited. There may have been a "loaves and fishes" type storage solution though.

  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    Youth soccer in the US experiences 50,000 (!) concussions a year.

    Effective yesterday US Soccer Federation recommends heading the ball is illegal for those under 10, and strongly urged for other youth games.

    Apparently soccer worldwide has a major concussion problem, but no protocol. The NFL may have gotten there first, but it's coming in soccer too.

    The first case of CTE has been found in a deceased (Pat Grange,age 28) soccer player, who died of ALS.

    source: ESPN Outside The Lines
  • MP_SEMP_SE Posts: 3,642

    isam said:

    "Muslim voters in Birmingham 'told they would go to hell if they didn't vote Labour'"

    Well, at least that's a solid reason.
    Edit: Runnymede beat me to it.
    Birmingham is an utter dump. I have only ever been there three times and two of those was racially abused.
  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    runnymede said:

    Muslim voters in Birmingham 'told they would go to hell if they didn't vote Labour

    How would they tell the difference?

    It is a mistranslation. They were threatened to be sent to Hull.
  • On topic if you were building a grain storage facility in anticipation for a great famine, surely a pyramid is the worst shape to build said facility?
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669

    On topic: the guy is bonkers. What's most worrying is not so much that he's on the GOP line up and temporarily polling well - we're used to that from previous election cycles - but that he's had positions of responsibility as a surgeon and working for John Hopkins, which I'd always regarded as a serious medical and academic institution.

    Johns Hopkins - note s on Johns - is indeed a serious academic and scientific institution.

    Carson's medical cred is beyond repute. Maybe it's the Einstein-like thing - medical genius but can't balance a check book, or in his case talk sense on non-political subjects.
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669

    On topic if you were building a grain storage facility in anticipation for a great famine, surely a pyramid is the worst shape to build said facility?

    I'm sure the Pharaoh would contact the Egyptian branch of Archer Daniels Midland
  • Tim_B said:

    Carson's medical cred is beyond repute. Maybe it's the Einstein-like thing - medical genius but can't balance a check book, or in his case talk sense on non-political subjects.

    I don't think Einstein embraced bonkers theories which don't stand up to 30 seconds of testing against the evidence.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 124,095

    On topic: the guy is bonkers. What's most worrying is not so much that he's on the GOP line up and temporarily polling well - we're used to that from previous election cycles - but that he's had positions of responsibility as a surgeon and working for John Hopkins, which I'd always regarded as a serious medical and academic institution.

    Well as far as I am aware no one died when he was operating on them and he has a degree from Yale
  • HYUFD said:

    ... he has a degree from Yale

    Yes, worrying, isn't it?
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 124,095
    RIP Helmut Schmidt, a titan of European politics. On being told he was a visonary he replied, 'if you have visions you need to see a doctor'
  • MrsBMrsB Posts: 574
    In that polling 25% of Americans either didn't know what the pyramids were for or thought they were for something other than burying people in.
    Obviously they don't follow the same history curriculum in the US as we do in the UK. Even in the current primary history curriculum (which is very UK oriented) there is still room for Ancient Egypt.

  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669

    Tim_B said:

    Carson's medical cred is beyond repute. Maybe it's the Einstein-like thing - medical genius but can't balance a check book, or in his case talk sense on non-political subjects.

    I don't think Einstein embraced bonkers theories which don't stand up to 30 seconds of testing against the evidence.
    He's just going against the grain ;)
  • surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549

    On Tory civil war: err, really? Bill Cash, Peter Bone, Bernard Jenkin, Jacob Rees-Mogg, David Nuttall? All sound chaps, no doubt, but it's hardly a surprise that they're not sudden converts to the Remain camp.

    How would the Tory party supporters split on this:

    60 OUT: 40 IN ?
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 21,709

    Tim_B said:

    Carson's medical cred is beyond repute. Maybe it's the Einstein-like thing - medical genius but can't balance a check book, or in his case talk sense on non-political subjects.

    I don't think Einstein embraced bonkers theories which don't stand up to 30 seconds of testing against the evidence.
    Actually the evidence is more nuanced

    http://bit.ly/1WLAwpT
  • surbiton said:

    On Tory civil war: err, really? Bill Cash, Peter Bone, Bernard Jenkin, Jacob Rees-Mogg, David Nuttall? All sound chaps, no doubt, but it's hardly a surprise that they're not sudden converts to the Remain camp.

    How would the Tory party supporters split on this:

    60 OUT: 40 IN ?
    Today's ICM has it Con voters

    Remain 44%

    Leave 39%

    DK 17%
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,422

    Tim_B said:

    Carson's medical cred is beyond repute. Maybe it's the Einstein-like thing - medical genius but can't balance a check book, or in his case talk sense on non-political subjects.

    I don't think Einstein embraced bonkers theories which don't stand up to 30 seconds of testing against the evidence.
    Isn't that a requirement of becoming the republican candidate ?
  • Tomorrow's front page of the Sun isn't good for Dave

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CTfAWWHW4AE42qA.jpg
  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    surbiton said:

    On Tory civil war: err, really? Bill Cash, Peter Bone, Bernard Jenkin, Jacob Rees-Mogg, David Nuttall? All sound chaps, no doubt, but it's hardly a surprise that they're not sudden converts to the Remain camp.

    How would the Tory party supporters split on this:

    60 OUT: 40 IN ?
    Hasn't the polling FWIW shown Tory 2015 voters narrowly favouring Remain?
  • surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549

    I can't believe everyone's being so stupid.

    Remember: the pyramids were a government procurement project. They started off as mooring posts for alien spaceships, but they built the bases the wrong shape. They then decided to convert them to grain stores, but did not build enough cavities within. In the end they just decided to chuck their dead leaders in them.

    And as with all government projects, they made the same mistakes several times before giving up and just building a large statue of cat. Even then they couldn't decide on what sort of cat, and added a beard because they had a little extra unspent money at end-of-year.

    That was before the cuts.
  • RodCrosbyRodCrosby Posts: 7,737
    HYUFD said:

    RIP Helmut Schmidt, a titan of European politics. On being told he was a visonary he replied, 'if you have visions you need to see a doctor'

    Just think, if he hadn't smoked like a chimney, he could have lived to 120...
  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    Tomorrow's front page of the Sun isn't good for Dave

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CTfAWWHW4AE42qA.jpg

    Rupert is an Outer, so not much surprise really.
  • HYUFD said:

    ... he has a degree from Yale

    Yes, worrying, isn't it?
    Its no more worrying than David Attenborough beliving in man made global warming. And he is in good company of supposedly intelligent people.
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 21,709
    edited November 2015
    Pulpstar said:

    Tim_B said:

    Carson's medical cred is beyond repute. Maybe it's the Einstein-like thing - medical genius but can't balance a check book, or in his case talk sense on non-political subjects.

    I don't think Einstein embraced bonkers theories which don't stand up to 30 seconds of testing against the evidence.
    Isn't that a requirement of becoming the republican candidate ?
    In the lesser known second part of the Gettysburg address, Lincoln set out the case that the Parthenon was in fact a co-op.

    Good grief, how the mighty fall.
  • MrsBMrsB Posts: 574

    Fantastic... I've just found mark reckless' losers speech from election night... not seen that before.

    how many more such gems of coverage not shown on the night (now watched once or twice on iplayer) are there out there for me still to unearth and enjoy.......

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32633099

    I'm just sorry that having stood against him purely in order to try and contribute to him losing the seat, I wasn't able to be there to hear his speech on the night, due to being an election agent somewhere else. Lost my (self-funded) deposit, but it was worth every penny to see him lose.
  • MikeKMikeK Posts: 9,053
    Cameron starts his phantom negotiation with Brussels with four phantom proposals.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34770875

    The whole thing not being worth a bag of horse sh*t.
  • On topic if you were building a grain storage facility in anticipation for a great famine, surely a pyramid is the worst shape to build said facility?

    Grain was stored in pits in the ground and covered over air tight. It woukd keep for quite a while.
  • Danny565Danny565 Posts: 8,091
    edited November 2015

    Tomorrow's front page of the Sun isn't good for Dave

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CTfAWWHW4AE42qA.jpg

    The Sun has got noticeably more hostile to the Tories since Rebekah returned to the fold.
  • On topic if you were building a grain storage facility in anticipation for a great famine, surely a pyramid is the worst shape to build said facility?

    Grain was stored in pits in the ground and covered over air tight. It woukd keep for quite a while.
  • Danny565 said:

    Tomorrow's front page of the Sun isn't good for Dave

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CTfAWWHW4AE42qA.jpg

    The Sun has got noticeably more hostile to the Tories since Rebekah returned to the helm.
    Never piss off a redhead.
  • MP_SE said:

    isam said:

    "Muslim voters in Birmingham 'told they would go to hell if they didn't vote Labour'"

    Well, at least that's a solid reason.
    Edit: Runnymede beat me to it.
    Birmingham is an utter dump.
    Nonsense! I'm posting from there right now :)

  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 124,095
    edited November 2015
    Danny565 said:

    Tomorrow's front page of the Sun isn't good for Dave

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CTfAWWHW4AE42qA.jpg

    The Sun has got noticeably more hostile to the Tories since Rebekah returned to the helm.
    The Sun will be for Out, Dave will be gone by the next election, it is not that surprising. When it comes to EU ref we may end up with the odd situation of Dave being backed by the Guardian, the Independent and the Mirror (alongside the FT and indirectly the BBC) and opposed by the Sun, the Mail, the Express, the Telegraph and perhaps the Times
  • MP_SE said:

    isam said:

    "Muslim voters in Birmingham 'told they would go to hell if they didn't vote Labour'"

    Well, at least that's a solid reason.
    Edit: Runnymede beat me to it.
    Birmingham is an utter dump.
    Nonsense! I'm posting from there right now :)

    India, Essex and Birmingham.

    You've lived in some real dumps :lol:
  • Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,822
    edited November 2015
    If you're looking for a really compelling theory:

    http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/drinking-three-glasses-of-champagne-every-day-can-help-prevent-alzheimers-disease-a3109626.html

    They now hope to carry out the experiment on pensioners.

    I'm sure we can find some volunteers for this crucial work.
  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    edited November 2015

    MP_SE said:

    isam said:

    "Muslim voters in Birmingham 'told they would go to hell if they didn't vote Labour'"

    Well, at least that's a solid reason.
    Edit: Runnymede beat me to it.
    Birmingham is an utter dump.
    Nonsense! I'm posting from there right now :)

    But that is the perspective of an Essex boy!

    Have you diversified into canals in the Venice of England?
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 124,095

    HYUFD said:

    ... he has a degree from Yale

    Yes, worrying, isn't it?
    Mind you, so does George W Bush
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 124,095
    RodCrosby said:

    HYUFD said:

    RIP Helmut Schmidt, a titan of European politics. On being told he was a visonary he replied, 'if you have visions you need to see a doctor'

    Just think, if he hadn't smoked like a chimney, he could have lived to 120...
    Indeed, he matched Churchill in his longetivity and his vices
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    edited November 2015

    Tim_B said:

    Carson's medical cred is beyond repute. Maybe it's the Einstein-like thing - medical genius but can't balance a check book, or in his case talk sense on non-political subjects.

    I don't think Einstein embraced bonkers theories which don't stand up to 30 seconds of testing against the evidence.
    You forget that Einstein was german.

    In America holding opinions like those is usual, it's fun to watch.
    See Trump entering the "War on Christmas" by calling for a boycott of Starbucks over some red coffee cups in Springfield (could be the Springfield you're thinking of):

    http://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-slams-carson-starbucks-before-record-crowd-in-illinois/

    http://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/starbucks-waging-war-christmas-red-cup-stirs-controversy-n460721

    What fun if the only major problem of your nation is the colour of coffee cups.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 124,095

    surbiton said:

    On Tory civil war: err, really? Bill Cash, Peter Bone, Bernard Jenkin, Jacob Rees-Mogg, David Nuttall? All sound chaps, no doubt, but it's hardly a surprise that they're not sudden converts to the Remain camp.

    How would the Tory party supporters split on this:

    60 OUT: 40 IN ?
    Today's ICM has it Con voters

    Remain 44%

    Leave 39%

    DK 17%
    Tory voters will be the swing voters in EU ref as Labour voters were in indyref
  • surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549
    Dair said:

    Sean_F said:

    MaxPB said:

    Dair said:

    Few NATO countries spend anything like 2% of GDP on Defence, comparable nations to the size of Scotland are usually around 1% to 1.5%. The White Paper proposed a £1bn saving but that's higher than I would vote for in the first post-independence elections.

    The UK's current extravagance on Defence to maintain the fiction of being a world power and remotely relevant to the geo-political situation is one of the most ridiculous hangovers from colonial Britain.

    Spending 2% of GDP on defence is part of the NATO charter, the SNP are committed to NATO. If they want to join NATO then break the terms of the membership as a new country and prove they are not trustworthy or a reliable ally then that is up to them, I don't think they would though and would pledge to maintain spending to meet the target. Scotland has a very rich history of defence and the public are supportive of the military. This is just your personal bullshit trying to make up a large figure to make yourself feel better about Scottish overspending in recent times (look at the deficit figures, Scotland's deficit was below the UK deficit every year until 2012/13) and that is down to SNP mismanagement more than anything else.
    As always, the argument is we should just rely on the Americans to do defence for the rest of us.
    This works very, very well for Iceland. Total Defence Spend 0.1% of GDP.
    Has Ireland been invaded ? Why doesn't Belgium, Denmark etc. feel the need for nuclear weapons ?

    Trident has got nothing to do with defence. It is to allow the Military Industries complex to earn tons of money and for Unions to gloat that they have so many Unionised workers on the payroll. An unholy alliance !
  • surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549
    AndyJS said:

    isam said:

    Oldham by election

    Labour win by
    0-5 8/1
    5-10 6/1
    10-15 5/2
    15-20 12/5
    20-25 5/1
    25+ 8/1

    Labour lose 8/1

    Match bets

    Ukip 1/6 vs Con 7/2
    Con 1/6 vs Libs 7/2

    Labour winning margin uo 16 5/6

    I'll put £5 on Labour losing at 8/1.
    Has the Loony party announced its candidate yet ? Only they could do it.
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    surbiton said:

    Dair said:

    Sean_F said:

    MaxPB said:

    Dair said:

    Few NATO countries spend anything like 2% of GDP on Defence, comparable nations to the size of Scotland are usually around 1% to 1.5%. The White Paper proposed a £1bn saving but that's higher than I would vote for in the first post-independence elections.

    The UK's current extravagance on Defence to maintain the fiction of being a world power and remotely relevant to the geo-political situation is one of the most ridiculous hangovers from colonial Britain.

    Spending 2% of GDP on defence is part of the NATO charter, the SNP are committed to NATO. If they want to join NATO then break the terms of the membership as a new country and prove they are not trustworthy or a reliable ally then that is up to them, I don't think they would though and would pledge to maintain spending to meet the target. Scotland has a very rich history of defence and the public are supportive of the military. This is just your personal bullshit trying to make up a large figure to make yourself feel better about Scottish overspending in recent times (look at the deficit figures, Scotland's deficit was below the UK deficit every year until 2012/13) and that is down to SNP mismanagement more than anything else.
    As always, the argument is we should just rely on the Americans to do defence for the rest of us.
    This works very, very well for Iceland. Total Defence Spend 0.1% of GDP.
    Has Ireland been invaded ? Why doesn't Belgium, Denmark etc. feel the need for nuclear weapons ?

    Trident has got nothing to do with defence. It is to allow the Military Industries complex to earn tons of money and for Unions to gloat that they have so many Unionised workers on the payroll. An unholy alliance !
    Because no one cares about those countries, why would anyone feel the need to conquer Belgium these days?
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    Jonathan said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Tim_B said:

    Carson's medical cred is beyond repute. Maybe it's the Einstein-like thing - medical genius but can't balance a check book, or in his case talk sense on non-political subjects.

    I don't think Einstein embraced bonkers theories which don't stand up to 30 seconds of testing against the evidence.
    Isn't that a requirement of becoming the republican candidate ?
    In the lesser known second part of the Gettysburg address, Lincoln set out the case that the Parthenon was in fact a co-op.

    Good grief, how the mighty fall.
    Then he went to the Gettysburg Starbucks and complained about their non-santa christmas cups...
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    Speedy said:

    surbiton said:

    Dair said:

    Sean_F said:

    MaxPB said:

    Dair said:

    Few NATO countries spend anything like 2% of GDP on Defence, comparable nations to the size of Scotland are usually around 1% to 1.5%. The White Paper proposed a £1bn saving but that's higher than I would vote for in the first post-independence elections.

    The UK's current extravagance on Defence to maintain the fiction of being a world power and remotely relevant to the geo-political situation is one of the most ridiculous hangovers from colonial Britain.

    Spending 2% of GDP on defence is part of the NATO charter, the SNP are committed to NATO. If they want to join NATO then break the terms of the membership as a new country and prove they are not trustworthy or a reliable ally then that is up to them, I don't think they would though and would pledge to maintain spending to meet the target. Scotland has a very rich history of defence and the public are supportive of the military. This is just your personal bullshit trying to make up a large figure to make yourself feel better about Scottish overspending in recent times (look at the deficit figures, Scotland's deficit was below the UK deficit every year until 2012/13) and that is down to SNP mismanagement more than anything else.
    As always, the argument is we should just rely on the Americans to do defence for the rest of us.
    This works very, very well for Iceland. Total Defence Spend 0.1% of GDP.
    Has Ireland been invaded ? Why doesn't Belgium, Denmark etc. feel the need for nuclear weapons ?

    Trident has got nothing to do with defence. It is to allow the Military Industries complex to earn tons of money and for Unions to gloat that they have so many Unionised workers on the payroll. An unholy alliance !
    Because no one cares about those countries, why would anyone feel the need to conquer Belgium these days?
    Because of all that huge Belgian charisma..
  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    Speedy said:

    Tim_B said:

    Carson's medical cred is beyond repute. Maybe it's the Einstein-like thing - medical genius but can't balance a check book, or in his case talk sense on non-political subjects.

    I don't think Einstein embraced bonkers theories which don't stand up to 30 seconds of testing against the evidence.
    You forget that Einstein was german.

    In America holding opinions like those is usual, it's fun to watch.
    See Trump entering the "War on Christmas" by calling for a boycott of Starbucks over some red coffee cups in Springfield (could be the Springfield you're thinking of):

    http://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-slams-carson-starbucks-before-record-crowd-in-illinois/

    http://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/starbucks-waging-war-christmas-red-cup-stirs-controversy-n460721

    What fun if the only major problem of your nation is the colour of coffee cups.
    Keith Vaz has declared war on red refreshments first. Trump is stealing the idea from our very own politicians:

    http://m.leicestermercury.co.uk/Keith-Vaz-says-Christmas-Coca-Cola-truck-welcome/story-28112187-detail/story.html
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,422
    surbiton said:

    AndyJS said:

    isam said:

    Oldham by election

    Labour win by
    0-5 8/1
    5-10 6/1
    10-15 5/2
    15-20 12/5
    20-25 5/1
    25+ 8/1

    Labour lose 8/1

    Match bets

    Ukip 1/6 vs Con 7/2
    Con 1/6 vs Libs 7/2

    Labour winning margin uo 16 5/6

    I'll put £5 on Labour losing at 8/1.
    Has the Loony party announced its candidate yet ? Only they could do it.
    Sir Oink-A-Lot
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 52,172
    edited November 2015

    MP_SE said:

    isam said:

    "Muslim voters in Birmingham 'told they would go to hell if they didn't vote Labour'"

    Well, at least that's a solid reason.
    Edit: Runnymede beat me to it.
    Birmingham is an utter dump.
    Nonsense! I'm posting from there right now :)

    But that is the perspective of an Essex boy!

    Have you diversified into canals in the Venice of England?
    No, still doing railways. Last few conquests - er, I mean additions - Newbury to Westbury, Westbury to Bath, Westbury to Frome, Longleat miniature railway, Crewe to Chester, Colchester to Norwich, and Bicester to the brand new Oxford Parkway.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_Parkway_railway_station

    Catenary uprights already in place in Brum city centre for the upcoming Midland Metro extension from Snow Hill to New Street. Down in London, Wimbledon also has two new tram platforms (one hitherto).
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,564
    surbiton said:

    Dair said:

    Sean_F said:

    MaxPB said:

    Dair said:

    Few NATO countries spend anything like 2% of GDP on Defence, comparable nations to the size of Scotland are usually around 1% to 1.5%. The White Paper proposed a £1bn saving but that's higher than I would vote for in the first post-independence elections.

    The UK's current extravagance on Defence to maintain the fiction of being a world power and remotely relevant to the geo-political situation is one of the most ridiculous hangovers from colonial Britain.

    Spending 2% of GDP on defence is part of the NATO charter, the SNP are committed to NATO. If they want to join NATO then break the terms of the membership as a new country and prove they are not trustworthy or a reliable ally then that is up to them, I don't think they would though and would pledge to maintain spending to meet the target. Scotland has a very rich history of defence and the public are supportive of the military. This is just your personal bullshit trying to make up a large figure to make yourself feel better about Scottish overspending in recent times (look at the deficit figures, Scotland's deficit was below the UK deficit every year until 2012/13) and that is down to SNP mismanagement more than anything else.
    As always, the argument is we should just rely on the Americans to do defence for the rest of us.
    This works very, very well for Iceland. Total Defence Spend 0.1% of GDP.
    Has Ireland been invaded ? Why doesn't Belgium, Denmark etc. feel the need for nuclear weapons ?

    Trident has got nothing to do with defence. It is to allow the Military Industries complex to earn tons of money and for Unions to gloat that they have so many Unionised workers on the payroll. An unholy alliance !
    They're all part of a nuclear-armed alliance.

  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    surbiton said:

    AndyJS said:

    isam said:

    Oldham by election

    Labour win by
    0-5 8/1
    5-10 6/1
    10-15 5/2
    15-20 12/5
    20-25 5/1
    25+ 8/1

    Labour lose 8/1

    Match bets

    Ukip 1/6 vs Con 7/2
    Con 1/6 vs Libs 7/2

    Labour winning margin uo 16 5/6

    I'll put £5 on Labour losing at 8/1.
    Has the Loony party announced its candidate yet ? Only they could do it.
    Loonys against Corbyn!

    (Note to consumers: slogan may contain nuts, an ingenious paradox)
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    New political ad - it's killer....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf_xHVKvIEw
  • Sean_F said:

    surbiton said:

    Dair said:

    Sean_F said:

    MaxPB said:

    Dair said:

    Few NATO countries spend anything like 2% of GDP on Defence, comparable nations to the size of Scotland are usually around 1% to 1.5%. The White Paper proposed a £1bn saving but that's higher than I would vote for in the first post-independence elections.

    The UK's current extravagance on Defence to maintain the fiction of being a world power and remotely relevant to the geo-political situation is one of the most ridiculous hangovers from colonial Britain.

    Spending 2% of GDP on defence is part of the NATO charter, the SNP are committed to NATO. If they want to join NATO then break the terms of the membership as a new country and prove they are not trustworthy or a reliable ally then that is up to them, I don't think they would though and would pledge to maintain spending to meet the target. Scotland has a very rich history of defence and the public are supportive of the military. This is just your personal bullshit trying to make up a large figure to make yourself feel better about Scottish overspending in recent times (look at the deficit figures, Scotland's deficit was below the UK deficit every year until 2012/13) and that is down to SNP mismanagement more than anything else.
    As always, the argument is we should just rely on the Americans to do defence for the rest of us.
    This works very, very well for Iceland. Total Defence Spend 0.1% of GDP.
    Has Ireland been invaded ? Why doesn't Belgium, Denmark etc. feel the need for nuclear weapons ?

    Trident has got nothing to do with defence. It is to allow the Military Industries complex to earn tons of money and for Unions to gloat that they have so many Unionised workers on the payroll. An unholy alliance !
    They're all part of a nuclear-armed alliance.

    Ireland isn't in NATO.
  • Pulpstar said:

    surbiton said:

    AndyJS said:

    isam said:

    Oldham by election

    Labour win by
    0-5 8/1
    5-10 6/1
    10-15 5/2
    15-20 12/5
    20-25 5/1
    25+ 8/1

    Labour lose 8/1

    Match bets

    Ukip 1/6 vs Con 7/2
    Con 1/6 vs Libs 7/2

    Labour winning margin uo 16 5/6

    I'll put £5 on Labour losing at 8/1.
    Has the Loony party announced its candidate yet ? Only they could do it.
    Sir Oink-A-Lot
    Taken for grunted.
  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548

    Pulpstar said:

    surbiton said:

    AndyJS said:

    isam said:

    Oldham by election

    Labour win by
    0-5 8/1
    5-10 6/1
    10-15 5/2
    15-20 12/5
    20-25 5/1
    25+ 8/1

    Labour lose 8/1

    Match bets

    Ukip 1/6 vs Con 7/2
    Con 1/6 vs Libs 7/2

    Labour winning margin uo 16 5/6

    I'll put £5 on Labour losing at 8/1.
    Has the Loony party announced its candidate yet ? Only they could do it.
    Sir Oink-A-Lot
    Taken for grunted.
    A ham fisted effort to appeal to the Bullingdon club (Oldham section)? Clearly not targeting the halal vote!

  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    Tim_B said:

    Jonathan said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Tim_B said:

    Carson's medical cred is beyond repute. Maybe it's the Einstein-like thing - medical genius but can't balance a check book, or in his case talk sense on non-political subjects.

    I don't think Einstein embraced bonkers theories which don't stand up to 30 seconds of testing against the evidence.
    Isn't that a requirement of becoming the republican candidate ?
    In the lesser known second part of the Gettysburg address, Lincoln set out the case that the Parthenon was in fact a co-op.

    Good grief, how the mighty fall.
    Then he went to the Gettysburg Starbucks and complained about their non-santa christmas cups...
    Well Trump knows his customers:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q66Y3WC5snk
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    Tim_B said:

    New political ad - it's killer....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf_xHVKvIEw

    That was a political ad on behalf of everyone but Rubio.
    (P.S. Bush is really unpopular with republicans right now, so having an ad of him endorsing Rubio is not a good idea)
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,422
    edited November 2015
    Look at the countries getting a free ride off the back of NATO:

    1) Iceland (Strategic position in the NAO apparently though)... 0.03% Def spend
    2) Luxembourg 0.5%

    The country that lands us with Jean Claude "Cognac Fur frustuck" Junker, and sets up it's corporation tax to beggar the rest of Europe whilst massively benefiting more than any other country from European empire building is also contributing a quarter of what it should do to NATO.

    Well colour me shocked.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,422
    edited November 2015

    Sean_F said:

    surbiton said:

    Dair said:

    Sean_F said:

    MaxPB said:

    Dair said:

    Few NATO countries spend anything like 2% of GDP on Defence, comparable nations to the size of Scotland are usually around 1% to 1.5%. The White Paper proposed a £1bn saving but that's higher than I would vote for in the first post-independence elections.

    The UK's current extravagance on Defence to maintain the fiction of being a world power and remotely relevant to the geo-political situation is one of the most ridiculous hangovers from colonial Britain.

    Spending 2% of GDP on defence is part of the NATO charter, the SNP are committed to NATO. If they want to join NATO then break the terms of the membership as a new country and prove they are not trustworthy or a reliable ally then that is up to them, I don't think they would though and would pledge to maintain spending to meet the target. Scotland has a very rich history of defence and the public are supportive of the military. This is just your personal bullshit trying to make up a large figure to make yourself feel better about Scottish overspending in recent times (look at the deficit figures, Scotland's deficit was below the UK deficit every year until 2012/13) and that is down to SNP mismanagement more than anything else.
    As always, the argument is we should just rely on the Americans to do defence for the rest of us.
    This works very, very well for Iceland. Total Defence Spend 0.1% of GDP.
    Has Ireland been invaded ? Why doesn't Belgium, Denmark etc. feel the need for nuclear weapons ?

    Trident has got nothing to do with defence. It is to allow the Military Industries complex to earn tons of money and for Unions to gloat that they have so many Unionised workers on the payroll. An unholy alliance !
    They're all part of a nuclear-armed alliance.

    Ireland isn't in NATO.
    Ireland knows we'd support it if it was ever invaded. It has De Facto MAD Nuclear 'protection' without ever having to contribute a penny. Good deal for Ireland.

    (Yes yes I do know Irish history before anyone pulls me up on historical points !)
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    Speedy said:

    Tim_B said:

    New political ad - it's killer....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf_xHVKvIEw

    That was a political ad on behalf of everyone but Rubio.
    (P.S. Bush is really unpopular with republicans right now, so having an ad of him endorsing Rubio is not a good idea)
    You've missed the point - it's an anti-Bush ad more than a pro-Rubio ad. Talking heads think it's ace.

    In other news the FBI is expanding - again - the Clinton email investigation and is now including her aides.
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    I'm taking a break, hope to see you on my 5th live commentary of the 2016 debates in 2 and a half hours from now.
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    Tim_B said:

    Speedy said:

    Tim_B said:

    New political ad - it's killer....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf_xHVKvIEw

    That was a political ad on behalf of everyone but Rubio.
    (P.S. Bush is really unpopular with republicans right now, so having an ad of him endorsing Rubio is not a good idea)
    You've missed the point - it's an anti-Bush ad more than a pro-Rubio ad. Talking heads think it's ace.

    In other news the FBI is expanding - again - the Clinton email investigation and is now including her aides.
    So far the Talking heads have an accuracy rate on this election race as Floating heads in a jar.
  • Sean_F said:

    surbiton said:

    Dair said:

    Sean_F said:

    MaxPB said:

    Dair said:

    Few NATO countries spend anything like 2% of GDP on Defence, comparable nations to the size of Scotland are usually around 1% to 1.5%. The White Paper proposed a £1bn saving but that's higher than I would vote for in the first post-independence elections.

    The UK's current extravagance on Defence to maintain the fiction of being a world power and remotely relevant to the geo-political situation is one of the most ridiculous hangovers from colonial Britain.

    Spending 2% of GDP on defence is part of the NATO charter, the SNP are committed to NATO. If they want to join NATO then break the terms of the membership as a new country and prove they are not trustworthy or a reliable ally then that is up to them, I don't think they would though and would pledge to maintain spending to meet the target. Scotland has a very rich history of defence and the public are supportive of the military. This is just your personal bullshit trying to make up a large figure to make yourself feel better about Scottish overspending in recent times (look at the deficit figures, Scotland's deficit was below the UK deficit every year until 2012/13) and that is down to SNP mismanagement more than anything else.
    As always, the argument is we should just rely on the Americans to do defence for the rest of us.
    This works very, very well for Iceland. Total Defence Spend 0.1% of GDP.
    Has Ireland been invaded ? Why doesn't Belgium, Denmark etc. feel the need for nuclear weapons ?

    Trident has got nothing to do with defence. It is to allow the Military Industries complex to earn tons of money and for Unions to gloat that they have so many Unionised workers on the payroll. An unholy alliance !
    They're all part of a nuclear-armed alliance.

    Also worth noting Belgium has been invaded twice, and Denmark once, in the last 100 years.

    Both countries were taken over.

    Trident might seem like a waste of money - paying for something we'll never use - but it keeps us safe.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,422
    What are tech behemoths to do

    UK Law says they must track everyone and everything, whilst Belgian law will fine them for doing so.

    What happens if you're a Belgian citizen communicating with your Uncle in Islamabad from your bedsit in London.
    If Facebook inform GCHQ are they in breach of Belgian law :?
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 37,564

    Sean_F said:

    surbiton said:

    Dair said:

    Sean_F said:

    MaxPB said:

    Dair said:

    Few NATO countries spend anything like 2% of GDP on Defence, comparable nations to the size of Scotland are usually around 1% to 1.5%. The White Paper proposed a £1bn saving but that's higher than I would vote for in the first post-independence elections.

    The UK's current extravagance on Defence to maintain the fiction of being a world power and remotely relevant to the geo-political situation is one of the most ridiculous hangovers from colonial Britain.

    Spending 2% of GDP on defence is part of the NATO charter, the SNP are committed to NATO. If they want to join NATO then break the terms of the membership as a new country and prove they are not trustworthy or a reliable ally then that is up to them, I don't think they would though and would pledge to maintain spending to meet the target. Scotland has a very rich history of defence and the public are supportive of the military. This is just your personal bullshit trying to make up a large figure to make yourself feel better about Scottish overspending in recent times (look at the deficit figures, Scotland's deficit was below the UK deficit every year until 2012/13) and that is down to SNP mismanagement more than anything else.
    As always, the argument is we should just rely on the Americans to do defence for the rest of us.
    This works very, very well for Iceland. Total Defence Spend 0.1% of GDP.
    Has Ireland been invaded ? Why doesn't Belgium, Denmark etc. feel the need for nuclear weapons ?

    Trident has got nothing to do with defence. It is to allow the Military Industries complex to earn tons of money and for Unions to gloat that they have so many Unionised workers on the payroll. An unholy alliance !
    They're all part of a nuclear-armed alliance.

    Ireland isn't in NATO.
    They rely on NATO to protect them.

    It's all very moral, to moan and bitch about nuclear weapons and defence expenditure, while expectin Uncle Sam to come to the rescue.
  • Don't diss Belgium.

    Awesome country that was created just to get up the noses of the French
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    Speedy said:

    Tim_B said:

    Speedy said:

    Tim_B said:

    New political ad - it's killer....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf_xHVKvIEw

    That was a political ad on behalf of everyone but Rubio.
    (P.S. Bush is really unpopular with republicans right now, so having an ad of him endorsing Rubio is not a good idea)
    You've missed the point - it's an anti-Bush ad more than a pro-Rubio ad. Talking heads think it's ace.

    In other news the FBI is expanding - again - the Clinton email investigation and is now including her aides.
    So far the Talking heads have an accuracy rate on this election race as Floating heads in a jar.
    Not so - on commercials they're pretty much spot on.

    On Trump and Carson we're all amazed they've gone this long.

    On Sanders - socialist and fried chicken purveyor - we're just amazed.
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669

    Don't diss Belgium.

    Awesome country that was created just to get up the noses of the French

    In that case it's my favorite place. :)
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,422

    Sean_F said:

    surbiton said:

    Dair said:

    Sean_F said:

    MaxPB said:

    Dair said:

    Few NATO countries spend anything like 2% of GDP on Defence, comparable nations to the size of Scotland are usually around 1% to 1.5%. The White Paper proposed a £1bn saving but that's higher than I would vote for in the first post-independence elections.

    The UK's current extravagance on Defence to maintain the fiction of being a world power and remotely relevant to the geo-political situation is one of the most ridiculous hangovers from colonial Britain.

    Spending 2% of GDP on defence is part of the NATO charter, the SNP are committed to NATO. If they want to join NATO then break the terms of the membership as a new country and prove they are not trustworthy or a reliable ally then that is up to them, I don't think they would though and would pledge to maintain spending to meet the target. Scotland has a very rich history of defence and the public are supportive of the military. This is just your personal bullshit trying to make up a large figure to make yourself feel better about Scottish overspending in recent times (look at the deficit figures, Scotland's deficit was below the UK deficit every year until 2012/13) and that is down to SNP mismanagement more than anything else.
    As always, the argument is we should just rely on the Americans to do defence for the rest of us.
    This works very, very well for Iceland. Total Defence Spend 0.1% of GDP.
    Has Ireland been invaded ? Why doesn't Belgium, Denmark etc. feel the need for nuclear weapons ?

    Trident has got nothing to do with defence. It is to allow the Military Industries complex to earn tons of money and for Unions to gloat that they have so many Unionised workers on the payroll. An unholy alliance !
    They're all part of a nuclear-armed alliance.

    Also worth noting Belgium has been invaded twice, and Denmark once, in the last 100 years.

    Both countries were taken over.

    Trident might seem like a waste of money - paying for something we'll never use - but it keeps us safe.
    Didn't realise we had a nuclear defence system back in 1939, must have missed that one at school.
  • Don't diss Belgium.

    Awesome country that was created just to get up the noses of the French

    Yebbut the southern half is inhabited by French-speakers!
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    The debates (happy hour starts in 20 minutes) should be interesting.

    Jeb has to do well. He has a conference call with his big donors after the debate.
    Carson isn't good on numbers. He has to get it right.
    Rubio will be fine.
    Carly should be in her element
    Trump will do his shtick. I'd be great. It'll be 'yuge'
    Christie should shine in happy hour.

    At least we won't have the CNBC debacle again.

    I still think the race is Rubio's to lose.
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669

    Don't diss Belgium.

    Awesome country that was created just to get up the noses of the French

    Yebbut the southern half is inhabited by French-speakers!
    The US is inhabited by English speakers - it doesn't make them brits ;)
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,422
    Tim_B said:

    The debates (happy hour starts in 20 minutes) should be interesting.

    Jeb has to do well. He has a conference call with his big donors after the debate.
    Carson isn't good on numbers. He has to get it right.
    Rubio will be fine.
    Carly should be in her element
    Trump will do his shtick. I'd be great. It'll be 'yuge'
    Christie should shine in happy hour.

    At least we won't have the CNBC debacle again.

    I still think the race is Rubio's to lose.

    Who is the broadcaster for this debate
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    edited November 2015
    Pulpstar said:

    Tim_B said:

    The debates (happy hour starts in 20 minutes) should be interesting.

    Jeb has to do well. He has a conference call with his big donors after the debate.
    Carson isn't good on numbers. He has to get it right.
    Rubio will be fine.
    Carly should be in her element
    Trump will do his shtick. I'd be great. It'll be 'yuge'
    Christie should shine in happy hour.

    At least we won't have the CNBC debacle again.

    I still think the race is Rubio's to lose.

    Who is the broadcaster for this debate
    It's an FBN/WSJ debate - broadcast on Fox Business Network.

    The 7pm debate is Santorum, Christie, Huckabee and Jindal.

    The 9pm debate is Kasich, Bush, Rubio, Trump, Carson, Cruz, Fiorina and Paul.

    I believe you can stream it on foxbusiness.com
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    As you watch tonight's debates, remember that at this point in 2007 Hillary Clinton was 20 points ahead of Barack Obama. It's all to play for.
  • Tim_B said:

    Don't diss Belgium.

    Awesome country that was created just to get up the noses of the French

    Yebbut the southern half is inhabited by French-speakers!
    The US is inhabited by English speakers - it doesn't make them brits ;)
    You love the Queen - really :)
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669

    Tim_B said:

    Don't diss Belgium.

    Awesome country that was created just to get up the noses of the French

    Yebbut the southern half is inhabited by French-speakers!
    The US is inhabited by English speakers - it doesn't make them brits ;)
    You love the Queen - really :)
    I was born and will die a brit - but I'm an American too :)

    I have 2 passports - and the UK one is 3 times the price of the US one.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,046
    Tim_B said:

    Tim_B said:

    Don't diss Belgium.

    Awesome country that was created just to get up the noses of the French

    Yebbut the southern half is inhabited by French-speakers!
    The US is inhabited by English speakers - it doesn't make them brits ;)
    You love the Queen - really :)
    I was born and will die a brit - but I'm an American too :)

    I have 2 passports - and the UK one is 3 times the price of the US one.
    The US one doesn't request and require in the name of Her Majesty that you are granted access to (almost) any country in the world ;)
  • NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,572
    Tim_B said:

    Speedy said:

    Tim_B said:

    New political ad - it's killer....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf_xHVKvIEw

    That was a political ad on behalf of everyone but Rubio.
    (P.S. Bush is really unpopular with republicans right now, so having an ad of him endorsing Rubio is not a good idea)
    You've missed the point - it's an anti-Bush ad more than a pro-Rubio ad. Talking heads think it's ace.

    In other news the FBI is expanding - again - the Clinton email investigation and is now including her aides.
    Too subtle, don't you think? The viewer needs to remember that (a) Bush attacked Rubio and (b) Rubio laughed it off. In Britain, only a small subset of viewers would recall that much - are Republican primary voters much more attentive?
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    RobD said:

    Tim_B said:

    Tim_B said:

    Don't diss Belgium.

    Awesome country that was created just to get up the noses of the French

    Yebbut the southern half is inhabited by French-speakers!
    The US is inhabited by English speakers - it doesn't make them brits ;)
    You love the Queen - really :)
    I was born and will die a brit - but I'm an American too :)

    I have 2 passports - and the UK one is 3 times the price of the US one.
    The US one doesn't request and require in the name of Her Majesty that you are granted access to (almost) any country in the world ;)
    Maybe that's why the UK one is so damned expensive! ;)
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669

    Tim_B said:

    Speedy said:

    Tim_B said:

    New political ad - it's killer....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf_xHVKvIEw

    That was a political ad on behalf of everyone but Rubio.
    (P.S. Bush is really unpopular with republicans right now, so having an ad of him endorsing Rubio is not a good idea)
    You've missed the point - it's an anti-Bush ad more than a pro-Rubio ad. Talking heads think it's ace.

    In other news the FBI is expanding - again - the Clinton email investigation and is now including her aides.
    Too subtle, don't you think? The viewer needs to remember that (a) Bush attacked Rubio and (b) Rubio laughed it off. In Britain, only a small subset of viewers would recall that much - are Republican primary voters much more attentive?
    From the CNBC debacle there are a couple of clips that got almost endless play on the news networks, including Cruz's putdown of the biased moderators, and Rubio's putdown of Bush. Everyone knows about it, which is why they made the ad, and why it's effective.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,422
    Christie's first move will be to grandstand with Airforce 1 in the South China Seas :)
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    Pulpstar said:

    Christie's first move will be to grandstand with Airforce 1 in the South China Seas :)

    That's a tad misleading - what he actually said is that he would fly Air Force One over the artificial islands the Chinese are building.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,422
    I thought Piyush was pretty good in that one :)
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 124,095
    edited November 2015
    Tim_B said:

    As you watch tonight's debates, remember that at this point in 2007 Hillary Clinton was 20 points ahead of Barack Obama. It's all to play for.

    Yes but Obama was still second in those polls
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    Pulpstar said:

    I thought Piyush was pretty good in that one :)

    Who is Piyush?

    The questions have been detailed, tough and fair. Designed to elicit info from the candidates.

    Example - an unemployed woman in New Hampshire is on benefits: how would you incentivize her to work.

    The one exception, echoing back to the CNBC debacle - name one Democrat you admire. They all leapt on it.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,422
    edited November 2015
    Hmm Would Huckabee's tax plans be inflationary ?

    Santorum's sounds quite workable.
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    Pulpstar said:

    Hmm Would Huckabee's tax plans be inflationary ?

    Santorum's sounds quite workable.

    Be honest - we don't have enough info on any of them to run the numbers yet. As the campaign moves forward that will happen to some extent. The one to watch on this is Carson. He's pretty wobbly on numbers.
  • Tim_B said:

    Pulpstar said:

    I thought Piyush was pretty good in that one :)

    Who is Piyush?
    Jindal's official first name.
  • Sean_F said:

    surbiton said:

    Dair said:

    Sean_F said:

    MaxPB said:

    Dair said:

    Few NATO countries spend anything like 2% of GDP on Defence, comparable nations to the size of Scotland are usually around 1% to 1.5%. The White Paper proposed a £1bn saving but that's higher than I would vote for in the first post-independence elections.

    The UK's current extravagance on Defence to maintain the fiction of being a world power and remotely relevant to the geo-political situation is one of the most ridiculous hangovers from colonial Britain.

    Spending 2% of GDP on defence is part of the NATO charter, the SNP are committed to NATO. If they want to join NATO then break the terms of the membership as a new country and prove they are not trustworthy or a reliable ally then that is up to them, I don't think they would though and would pledge to maintain spending to meet the target. Scotland has a very rich history of defence and the public are supportive of the military. This is just your personal bullshit trying to make up a large figure to make yourself feel better about Scottish overspending in recent times (look at the deficit figures, Scotland's deficit was below the UK deficit every year until 2012/13) and that is down to SNP mismanagement more than anything else.
    As always, the argument is we should just rely on the Americans to do defence for the rest of us.
    This works very, very well for Iceland. Total Defence Spend 0.1% of GDP.
    Has Ireland been invaded ? Why doesn't Belgium, Denmark etc. feel the need for nuclear weapons ?

    Trident has got nothing to do with defence. It is to allow the Military Industries complex to earn tons of money and for Unions to gloat that they have so many Unionised workers on the payroll. An unholy alliance !
    They're all part of a nuclear-armed alliance.

    Also worth noting Belgium has been invaded twice, and Denmark once, in the last 100 years.

    Both countries were taken over.

    Trident might seem like a waste of money - paying for something we'll never use - but it keeps us safe.
    Polaris/Trident, keeping us safe since 1066
  • Tim_BTim_B Posts: 7,669
    edited November 2015

    Tim_B said:

    Pulpstar said:

    I thought Piyush was pretty good in that one :)

    Who is Piyush?
    Jindal's official first name.
    Is that 'Bobby' as typed by the Association of Bad Spellers? :)

    It was a good substantive debate. What a contrast to the CNBC debacle.

    My initial reaction is that Christie won.
This discussion has been closed.