PoTY of the year should be AndyJS. His spreadsheets enrich us all.
JackW for his wit and wisdom in close second.
Cyclefree Honorary Mention
Unsung Hero/Villain: Aaron Banks. I hate his politics but he financed Brexit and UKIP through the wilderness years.
I was tempted by Banks but gave it to Boris. Boris was IMO the single individual who got Leave over the line. Farage did the leg work over the years but would never have got 52% without Boris presenting a popular, acceptable face of Leave, and probably ate into a lot of middle-class shire tory remain vote. Very few other Leavers could have done that.
Boris is surely not unsung though? And also a possible biggest loser of the year. I think he really did intend to be the valiant leader of the unsuccesful Leave Campaign, thereby being carried into No 10 shoulder high, but none of the hard work and grind of actual Brexit. That bus slogan will be his #edstone.
Leicester winning the League was perhaps the first of the unlikely results, but what follows is a cautionary tale of hubris.
The moment of the year will be 23.59.59 on New Year's Eve, when we can finally say this fucking shite year is over, and wake up from this self-administered living nightmare.
Evening J-B. I'm guessing you haven't nominated me as POTY then?
The moment of the year will be 23.59.59 on New Year's Eve, when we can finally say this fucking shite year is over, and wake up from this self-administered living nightmare.
Evening J-B. I'm guessing you haven't nominated me as POTY then?
No Sports person of the year instead. Your wit is gold medal quick.
O/T reporting back on what I found in Sleaford & North Hykeham - make what you will of it
UKIP are active - Farage and Nuttall have both had public meetings. On the other hand, they managed to spell their candidate's name wrong on a leaflet, and the constituency name wrong on a large banner pictured behind Farage. And their candidate is the woman who in the GE asked "what do we do when the renewable energy runs out?". UKIP were the only people I personally saw campaigning who weren't Lib Dems. But among the voters I spoke to, there were no fervent kippers.
Very very few posters and stakeboards for anyone. I am told far fewer than usual for the Tories. Feels like no-one has really woken up to the fact that there is an election on Thursday, so turnout will be low IMO.
Corbyn has visited. Saw no signs of Labour literature where I was. Saw no signs of Tory literature either but was told there have been several pieces including a letter from Mrs May.
Lib Dems are cheerful and working hard but in smaller numbers than either Richmond Park or Witney. The Lib Dem candidate is the only Remain supporter on the ballot in a constituency that was I believe 38% Remain. Brexit is not the only subject on the Lib Dem leaflets though.
The countryside was lovely, as was the weather, and the natives were friendly. And I set a new daily step record.
As I say, make of it what you will.
Actually the one thing that has surprised me is the number of Caroline Jackson placards in fields along the main routes through the constituency. A17, A46, A15 and lots of minor roads as well with plenty of placards. Not a single placard for any other candidate though.
I think yard posters are dying out in favour of social media posters, but presumably the agribusiness of Lincs is old school. In both the 2015 GE and in the Brexit referendum I hardly saw one at all on a house. I think that we are in political days where people do not want to advertise their politics, except to an audience that they know.This applies to both sides.
I think POTY has to be between AM (AntiFrank) and Plato...
I vote tim...
You have to give Plato credit where it's due she predicted Brexit AND Trump would triumph...
Alistair has had an awful year and especially during Brexit he made PB compulsive viwing.
TSE has had a terrible year as well and he's done a good job of keeping the PB show on the road (despite all his trauma's)
Maybe we could have a split POTY?
Aww no, has TSE had a really *****y year too? (Aside from politically, obviously, where he's had a wretched time which will likely have work-related impact too. But he wouldn't be alone in having a politically horrible 2016: YellowSubmarine, Southam, DrFox and various others have my sympathy on that front too.) If he has, I'm sorry I haven't picked up on it. He's done such a huge amount of work for this site, and been in such good form, that I didn't notice any grave personal travails. If so I do hope things look up a bit next year.
Thanks for the sympathy, but it has been a great year for me too. Leicester won the Premier League, and I had £1 on ew at 3000/1, topped up along the way.
As a LD I am used to political defeat, though Richmond was a pleasant end to the year. The party has turned a corner. Brexit is shit but I can survive it, I am fortunate enough to have skills in demand internationally, and enough money to retire abroad if I wish to do so. It is Fox jr who feels it more.
Glad to hear you're not feeling the pain doc. Would you go so far as to say that the Brexit vote stripped away a part of your personal identity, or is it just a potential additional to the administrative pains-in-the-arse for when you want to visit the continent or when your department wants to recruit someone?
I think POTY has to be between AM (AntiFrank) and Plato...
I vote tim...
You have to give Plato credit where it's due she predicted Brexit AND Trump would triumph...
Alistair has had an awful year and especially during Brexit he made PB compulsive viwing.
TSE has had a terrible year as well and he's done a good job of keeping the PB show on the road (despite all his trauma's)
Maybe we could have a split POTY?
Aww no, has TSE had a really *****y year too? (Aside from politically, obviously, where he's had a wretched time which will likely have work-related impact too. But he wouldn't be alone in having a politically horrible 2016: YellowSubmarine, Southam, DrFox and various others have my sympathy on that front too.) If he has, I'm sorry I haven't picked up on it. He's done such a huge amount of work for this site, and been in such good form, that I didn't notice any grave personal travails. If so I do hope things look up a bit next year.
Thanks for the sympathy, but it has been a great year for me too. Leicester won the Premier League, and I had £1 on ew at 3000/1, topped up along the way.
As a LD I am used to political defeat, though Richmond was a pleasant end to the year. The party has turned a corner. Brexit is shit but I can survive it, I am fortunate enough to have skills in demand internationally, and enough money to retire abroad if I wish to do so. It is Fox jr who feels it more.
Glad to hear you're not feeling the pain doc. Would you go so far as to say that the Brexit vote stripped away a part of your personal identity, or is it just a potential additional to the administrative pains-in-the-arse for when you want to visit the continent or when your department wants to recruit someone?
There are practical issues, but I do feel stripped of part of my personal identity. I also feel an invisible barrier between myself and other Britons and my many EU friends and colleagues. I feel less patriotic because of what I see my country turning into. For both sides this was not just an issue of economics, but rather an emotional one concerning Britain and its place in the world.
It will overshadow my family for years. I can no longer talk politics and world affairs with my parents, something that previously was a big part of our lives, and neither can my son or brother.
Chuck Schumer 67/23 Kristen Gillibrand ( potential 2020 Dem candidate) 51/22 Andrew Cuomo (potential 2020 Dem candidate) 56/36 Obama 63/33 Bill de Blasio 35/45
Trump being President will be good or bad:
Good 47 Bad 45
Very good numbers from New York for Trump, but he would probably still lose New York if the election where held today.
In time, I think the biggest shock of 2016 may be the Lib Dems winning Richmond.
Yes, they won against a part-time Tory leaver in an area that was 72% remain - but they overturned a truly massive majority and have, within my london media bubble of acquaintances, changed the narrative from one of resignation to one of 'we must fight back at any cost'... and the alignment of a great deal of the 'liberal' left.
The Labour Party seem locked in a death spiral and many of the most fervent Corbynites of 2015 in my circle of FB "friends" have already jumped ship. Trump and Brexit feel like part of a predictable pattern but if the Labour party continues its descent into utter irrelevance I can entirely see the Libs supplanting Labour as the main party of opposition in 2020. If that happens - and I think the odds are better than most of us realise, simply because nature abhors a vacuum - then it will be a more significant and long-lasting event in politics than Brexit or, from a distant lens, Trump.
If the Tories are 'the natural party of government' then The Labour Party have been the natural party of opposition for nigh on a century. Until Richmond I assumed they would oust Corbyn in 2020 and normal business would resume.
Trump and Brexit seem like obvious choices. But the supplanting of Labour by the Lib Dems - if it happens - and the subesequent shifting of the Overton Window that would entail - could be seen by historians as the real long-term change in 2016.
Trump will last 8 years at most, we have been members of the European Union / EEC since '73. But that Fallon chap we're all so contemptuous of has the potential to upturn a century old system of Lab, Con, Lab, Con.
It's a long shot, but no longer than Trump / Brexit at 5/1, which were both widely available just days before the events.
The moment of the year will be 23.59.59 on New Year's Eve, when we can finally say this fucking shite year is over, and wake up from this self-administered living nightmare.
But Labour will still run by lunatics, trots and associated wastrels in 2017.
Trump was a bigger shock for me than Brexit. I put Boris as my loser of the year: he won't be PM and he's out of his depth as Foreign Secretary. My unsung hero had nothing to do with the EU.
And my moments of the year (since I was abroad and so missed both the EU referendum and the US Presidential election) did not have much to do with politics. The 58 year old show jumper winning his first gold medal at the Brazil Olympics and holding back the tears as the National Anthem was played was one of my highlights.
But, really, this year was the year I got 13 thread headers published, for which you have Mr Meeks (one of my favourite posters) to thank (or hiss at) since he encouraged me and TSE and OGH to thank for publishing.
Favourite posters: very difficult - DavidL, Mr Llama, Ydoethur, Foxnsox, SeanT.... very hard to choose.
Trump will last 8 years at most, we have been members of the European Union / EEC since '73. But that Fallon chap we're all so contemptuous of has the potential to upturn a century old system of Lab, Con, Lab, Con.
It's a long shot, but no longer than Trump / Brexit at 5/1, which were both widely available just days before the events.
Thanks for the sympathy, but it has been a great year for me too. Leicester won the Premier League, and I had £1 on ew at 3000/1, topped up along the way.
As a LD I am used to political defeat, though Richmond was a pleasant end to the year. The party has turned a corner. Brexit is shit but I can survive it, I am fortunate enough to have skills in demand internationally, and enough money to retire abroad if I wish to do so. It is Fox jr who feels it more.
Glad to hear you're not feeling the pain doc. Would you go so far as to say that the Brexit vote stripped away a part of your personal identity, or is it just a potential additional to the administrative pains-in-the-arse for when you want to visit the continent or when your department wants to recruit someone?
There are practical issues, but I do feel stripped of part of my personal identity. I also feel an invisible barrier between myself and other Britons and my many EU friends and colleagues. I feel less patriotic because of what I see my country turning into. For both sides this was not just an issue of economics, but rather an emotional one concerning Britain and its place in the world.
It will overshadow my family for years. I can no longer talk politics and world affairs with my parents, something that previously was a big part of our lives, and neither can my son or brother.
Sadly eureftoxicity is not limited to PB! Although interestingly I found myself talking politics with people one would not normally have discussed politics (the window cleaner, the carpet fitter, generally apolitical friends and family...) and didn't find myself stuck in any residually nasty situations as a result. No doubt some of my more liberal, middle-class Londony friends think rather less of me, but no real harm done.
The people in the Remain campaign who thought they could win a Battle For Britain's Soul by putting pound and pence figures on the cost of leaving were barking up the wrong tree.
As a not-particularly-patriotic chap in the first place, I don't really feel like I have "got my country back" in quite the same way the window cleaner and carpet fitter did... and if they have to get used to "their country" being "England & Wales" rather than "the UK" or "Great Britain", then your own identity-pain will end up being shared around soon enough. Not that that'd be any consolation to you...
In time, I think the biggest shock of 2016 may be the Lib Dems winning Richmond.
Yes, they won against a part-time Tory leaver in an area that was 72% remain - but they overturned a truly massive majority and have, within my london media bubble of acquaintances, changed the narrative from one of resignation to one of 'we must fight back at any cost'... and the alignment of a great deal of the 'liberal' left.
The Labour Party seem locked in a death spiral and many of the most fervent Corbynites of 2015 in my circle of FB "friends" have already jumped ship. Trump and Brexit feel like part of a predictable pattern but if the Labour party continues its descent into utter irrelevance I can entirely see the Libs supplanting Labour as the main party of opposition in 2020. If that happens - and I think the odds are better than most of us realise, simply because nature abhors a vacuum - then it will be a more significant and long-lasting event in politics than Brexit or, from a distant lens, Trump.
If the Tories are 'the natural party of government' then The Labour Party have been the natural party of opposition for nigh on a century. Until Richmond I assumed they would oust Corbyn in 2020 and normal business would resume.
Trump and Brexit seem like obvious choices. But the supplanting of Labour by the Lib Dems - if it happens - and the subesequent shifting of the Overton Window that would entail - could be seen by historians as the real long-term change in 2016.
Trump will last 8 years at most, we have been members of the European Union / EEC since '73. But that Fallon chap we're all so contemptuous of has the potential to upturn a century old system of Lab, Con, Lab, Con.
It's a long shot, but no longer than Trump / Brexit at 5/1, which were both widely available just days before the events.
I hope that you are correct, but that would perhaps be the surprise of 2017 rather than 2016.
Brexit was nailed on as soon as it became a referendum on immigration. Trump always seemed possible, but never probable. In all honesty, nothing that happened politically in 2016 surprised me. Just about all of it disappointed me. Rays of hope? The LDs winning in Richmond and very clear signs now that, as was always going to happen, Momentum is falling apart.
Trump will last 8 years at most, we have been members of the European Union / EEC since '73. But that Fallon chap we're all so contemptuous of has the potential to upturn a century old system of Lab, Con, Lab, Con.
Thanks for the sympathy, but it has been a great year for me too. Leicester won the Premier League, and I had £1 on ew at 3000/1, topped up along the way.
As a LD I am used to political defeat, though Richmond was a pleasant end to the year. The party has turned a corner. Brexit is shit but I can survive it, I am fortunate enough to have skills in demand internationally, and enough money to retire abroad if I wish to do so. It is Fox jr who feels it more.
Glad to hear you're not feeling the pain doc. Would you go so far as to say that the Brexit vote stripped away a part of your personal identity, or is it just a potential additional to the administrative pains-in-the-arse for when you want to visit the continent or when your department wants to recruit someone?
There are practical issues, but I do feel stripped of part of my personal identity. I also feel an invisible barrier between myself and other Britons and my many EU friends and colleagues. I feel less patriotic because of what I see my country turning into. For both sides this was not just an issue of economics, but rather an emotional one concerning Britain and its place in the world.
It will overshadow my family for years. I can no longer talk politics and world affairs with my parents, something that previously was a big part of our lives, and neither can my son or brother.
The people in the Remain campaign who thought they could win a Battle For Britain's Soul by putting pound and pence figures on the cost of leaving were barking up the wrong tree
I thought so at the time. The problem was that the Remain campaign was dominated by one faction of the Tory party. That faction was not willing to speak positively about Europe apart from economics.
The moment of the year will be 23.59.59 on New Year's Eve, when we can finally say this fucking shite year is over, and wake up from this self-administered living nightmare.
I think POTY has to be between AM (AntiFrank) and Plato...
I vote tim...
Aww no, has TSE had a really *****y year too? (Aside from politically, obviously, where he's had a wretched time which will likely have work-related impact too. But he wouldn't be alone in having a politically horrible 2016: YellowSubmarine, Southam, DrFox and various others have my sympathy on that front too.) If he has, I'm sorry I haven't picked up on it. He's done such a huge amount of work for this site, and been in such good form, that I didn't notice any grave personal travails. If so I do hope things look up a bit next year.
Thanks for the sympathy, but it has been a great year for me too. Leicester won the Premier League, and I had £1 on ew at 3000/1, topped up along the way.
As a LD I am used to political defeat, though Richmond was a pleasant end to the year. The party has turned a corner. Brexit is shit but I can survive it, I am fortunate enough to have skills in demand internationally, and enough money to retire abroad if I wish to do so. It is Fox jr who feels it more.
Glad to hear you're not feeling the pain doc. Would you go so far as to say that the Brexit vote stripped away a part of your personal identity, or is it just a potential additional to the administrative pains-in-the-arse for when you want to visit the continent or when your department wants to recruit someone?
There are practical issues, but I do feel stripped of part of my personal identity. I also feel an invisible barrier between myself and other Britons and my many EU friends and colleagues. I feel less patriotic because of what I see my country turning into. For both sides this was not just an issue of economics, but rather an emotional one concerning Britain and its place in the world.
It will overshadow my family for years. I can no longer talk politics and world affairs with my parents, something that previously was a big part of our lives, and neither can my son or brother.
That's an interesting post and I suspect the experience of many of us. I think we've been under the illusion that when you scratch the surface most people are really rather nice and inclusive. It's the realization that this isn't the case that's the hardest to take.
Went for Plato and Uniondivvie for POTY, cos I like to be challenged. Plus love to see them collect the trophy and make a speech together. Unsung Michael Moore , for seeing the others POV.
Chuck Schumer 67/23 Kristen Gillibrand ( potential 2020 Dem candidate) 51/22 Andrew Cuomo (potential 2020 Dem candidate) 56/36 Obama 63/33 Bill de Blasio 35/45
Trump being President will be good or bad:
Good 47 Bad 45
Very good numbers from New York for Trump, but he would probably still lose New York if the election where held today.
Big danger for Dems if Italian/irish Catholics vote as a block as white Evangelicals do.
Leavers should choose Dominic Cummings as their unsung hero. It was he, more than anyone else, who twisted the referendum into a vote against the establishment and (absurdly) against a mythical elite, and he who, cynically but very effectively, brought irrational fears about immigration into play at just the right time.
Went for Plato and Uniondivvie for POTY, cos I like to be challenged. Plus love to see them collect the trophy and make a speech together. Unsung Michael Moore , for seeing the others POV.
Cannot stand Michael Moore, but you have a good point about his listening to Trump supporters when others simply dismissed them. Up there with John Harris.
Morning all. - Had to scratch my head to come up with an unsung political hero of 2016. Plumped for Eddie Izzard’s pink beret in the end…
I went for Gove. His article in the Times made supporting Leave intellectually respectable - for me "unsung" reflects the fact that few people seem to have a good word for him at the moment.
Maybe based on advice from the intelligence agencies?
Certainly doesn't suggest much trust of the Iranians....tho I guess it could also be to route close to Cyprus in case of an urgent need to land...
Doubt it's intelligence just basic risk management. Why send your PM over a current flashpoint if you don't have to?
While BA fly over it every day......
Perhaps our PM is a more likely target than peons like you and me?
Since I was sitting in the Virgin Clubhouse waiting to fly to Hong Kong the day MH17 was shotdown I've taken an acute interest in flight routing! It is curious who will and who will not fly over Iran.....but yes I wouldn't like to be the RAF Officer telling the PM 'Sorry PM, short stop in Tehran, some problem with the paperwork.....'
Maybe based on advice from the intelligence agencies?
Certainly doesn't suggest much trust of the Iranians....tho I guess it could also be to route close to Cyprus in case of an urgent need to land...
Doubt it's intelligence just basic risk management. Why send your PM over a current flashpoint if you don't have to?
While BA fly over it every day......
Perhaps our PM is a more likely target than peons like you and me?
Since I was sitting in the Virgin Clubhouse waiting to fly to Hong Kong the day MH17 was shotdown I've taken an acute interest in flight routing! It is curious who will and who will not fly over Iran.....but yes I wouldn't like to be the RAF Officer telling the PM 'Sorry PM, short stop in Tehran, some problem with the paperwork.....'
Maybe based on advice from the intelligence agencies?
Certainly doesn't suggest much trust of the Iranians....tho I guess it could also be to route close to Cyprus in case of an urgent need to land...
Doubt it's intelligence just basic risk management. Why send your PM over a current flashpoint if you don't have to?
While BA fly over it every day......
Perhaps our PM is a more likely target than peons like you and me?
Since I was sitting in the Virgin Clubhouse waiting to fly to Hong Kong the day MH17 was shotdown I've taken an acute interest in flight routing! It is curious who will and who will not fly over Iran.....but yes I wouldn't like to be the RAF Officer telling the PM 'Sorry PM, short stop in Tehran, some problem with the paperwork.....'
Well if you will fly Virgin...
Handy for a restorative Martini to steady the nerves......subsequently I've been flying Malaysian.....jolly good crew.....and they no longer fly over the Ukraine, tho unlike SQ they do fly over Iran (Garuda avoided Iran recently too....)
Maybe based on advice from the intelligence agencies?
Certainly doesn't suggest much trust of the Iranians....tho I guess it could also be to route close to Cyprus in case of an urgent need to land...
Doubt it's intelligence just basic risk management. Why send your PM over a current flashpoint if you don't have to?
While BA fly over it every day......
Perhaps our PM is a more likely target than peons like you and me?
Since I was sitting in the Virgin Clubhouse waiting to fly to Hong Kong the day MH17 was shotdown I've taken an acute interest in flight routing! It is curious who will and who will not fly over Iran.....but yes I wouldn't like to be the RAF Officer telling the PM 'Sorry PM, short stop in Tehran, some problem with the paperwork.....'
Well if you will fly Virgin...
Handy for a restorative Martini to steady the nerves......subsequently I've been flying Malaysian.....jolly good crew.....and they no longer fly over the Ukraine, tho unlike SQ they do fly over Iran (Garuda avoided Iran recently too....)
Am pretty disciplined in BA to try and consolidate my favours... provided they are price competitive of course...
Cyclefree: "And my moments of the year (since I was abroad and so missed both the EU referendum and the US Presidential election) did not have much to do with politics. The 58 year old show jumper winning his first gold medal at the Brazil Olympics and holding back the tears as the National Anthem was played was one of my highlights."
I certainly agree and surprisingly imo he can still be backed at 17.5 with Betfair to win SPOTY 2016 without the shoo in certainty that is Andy Murray. That looks like value to me but DYOR.
My overall feeling having read the piece is that this article normalizes these parties by simply checking boxes on specific policy issues without giving any indication to how extreme or unacceptable a particular say immigration policy is.
Be grateful to know UK and other Europe-based PBers views on how the parties are characterized.
That's an interesting post and I suspect the experience of many of us. I think we've been under the illusion that when you scratch the surface most people are really rather nice and inclusive. It's the realization that this isn't the case that's the hardest to take.
On the other hand, you can now take solace from knowing you are a member of a persecuted minority.... Persecuted by democracy.
Maybe based on advice from the intelligence agencies?
Certainly doesn't suggest much trust of the Iranians....tho I guess it could also be to route close to Cyprus in case of an urgent need to land...
Doubt it's intelligence just basic risk management. Why send your PM over a current flashpoint if you don't have to?
While BA fly over it every day......
Perhaps our PM is a more likely target than peons like you and me?
Since I was sitting in the Virgin Clubhouse waiting to fly to Hong Kong the day MH17 was shotdown I've taken an acute interest in flight routing! It is curious who will and who will not fly over Iran.....but yes I wouldn't like to be the RAF Officer telling the PM 'Sorry PM, short stop in Tehran, some problem with the paperwork.....'
Well if you will fly Virgin...
Handy for a restorative Martini to steady the nerves......subsequently I've been flying Malaysian.....jolly good crew.....and they no longer fly over the Ukraine, tho unlike SQ they do fly over Iran (Garuda avoided Iran recently too....)
Am pretty disciplined in BA to try and consolidate my favours... provided they are price competitive of course...
BA Gold, SQ Solitaire, Virgin Gold.....they all fall away sooner or later.....Jason!
Maybe based on advice from the intelligence agencies?
Certainly doesn't suggest much trust of the Iranians....tho I guess it could also be to route close to Cyprus in case of an urgent need to land...
Doubt it's intelligence just basic risk management. Why send your PM over a current flashpoint if you don't have to?
While BA fly over it every day......
Perhaps our PM is a more likely target than peons like you and me?
Since I was sitting in the Virgin Clubhouse waiting to fly to Hong Kong the day MH17 was shotdown I've taken an acute interest in flight routing! It is curious who will and who will not fly over Iran.....but yes I wouldn't like to be the RAF Officer telling the PM 'Sorry PM, short stop in Tehran, some problem with the paperwork.....'
Well if you will fly Virgin...
Handy for a restorative Martini to steady the nerves......subsequently I've been flying Malaysian.....jolly good crew.....and they no longer fly over the Ukraine, tho unlike SQ they do fly over Iran (Garuda avoided Iran recently too....)
Am pretty disciplined in BA to try and consolidate my favours... provided they are price competitive of course...
BA Gold, SQ Solitaire, Virgin Gold.....they all fall away sooner or later.....Jason!
Maybe based on advice from the intelligence agencies?
Certainly doesn't suggest much trust of the Iranians....tho I guess it could also be to route close to Cyprus in case of an urgent need to land...
Doubt it's intelligence just basic risk management. Why send your PM over a current flashpoint if you don't have to?
While BA fly over it every day......
Perhaps our PM is a more likely target than peons like you and me?
Since I was sitting in the Virgin Clubhouse waiting to fly to Hong Kong the day MH17 was shotdown I've taken an acute interest in flight routing! It is curious who will and who will not fly over Iran.....but yes I wouldn't like to be the RAF Officer telling the PM 'Sorry PM, short stop in Tehran, some problem with the paperwork.....'
Well if you will fly Virgin...
Handy for a restorative Martini to steady the nerves......subsequently I've been flying Malaysian.....jolly good crew.....and they no longer fly over the Ukraine, tho unlike SQ they do fly over Iran (Garuda avoided Iran recently too....)
Am pretty disciplined in BA to try and consolidate my favours... provided they are price competitive of course...
BA Gold, SQ Solitaire, Virgin Gold.....they all fall away sooner or later.....Jason!
Since I have BA Gold For Life* am not too worried. I don't think airline status is hereditary...
* still working on GGL for Life which would be really cool
I'm closing in on Gold for Life... need 6k more tier points. Let's say 2x Oz next year, 3x US, plus the usual flotsam and jetsam of European flying... That should take approximately half way
Foxinsoxuk, Southam, Cyclefree, uniondivvie, Scott_P, Jobabob, JosiasJessop, TSE and MyBurningEars are all worthy contenders for poster of year IMHO. And despite the fact it wasn't a good year for him in terms of political predictions, I really enjoyed reading JackW's posts too.
My moment of the year is probably Leciester winning the league. I really was happy for them. Also Spurs spursing it up on the final day of the season was great too. Politically, it's been a pretty bad year.
Maybe based on advice from the intelligence agencies?
Certainly doesn't suggest much trust of the Iranians....tho I guess it could also be to route close to Cyprus in case of an urgent need to land...
Doubt it's intelligence just basic risk management. Why send your PM over a current flashpoint if you don't have to?
While BA fly over it every day......
Perhaps our PM is a more likely target than peons like you and me?
Since I was sitting in the Virgin Clubhouse waiting to fly to Hong Kong the day MH17 was shotdown I've taken an acute interest in flight routing! It is curious who will and who will not fly over Iran.....but yes I wouldn't like to be the RAF Officer telling the PM 'Sorry PM, short stop in Tehran, some problem with the paperwork.....'
Well if you will fly Virgin...
Handy for a restorative Martini to steady the nerves......subsequently I've been flying Malaysian.....jolly good crew.....and they no longer fly over the Ukraine, tho unlike SQ they do fly over Iran (Garuda avoided Iran recently too....)
Am pretty disciplined in BA to try and consolidate my favours... provided they are price competitive of course...
BA Gold, SQ Solitaire, Virgin Gold.....they all fall away sooner or later.....Jason!
The British energy supplier Ovo has put some very well-spent hours into a comprehensive calculation of the operating costs of the Death Star, which will return to the spotlight in the December 16th movie Rogue One.
They conclude that operating the planet-destroying starbase would cost 6.2 octillion British pounds, or $7.8 octillion, per day—that’s $7,800,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.
That's an interesting post and I suspect the experience of many of us. I think we've been under the illusion that when you scratch the surface most people are really rather nice and inclusive. It's the realization that this isn't the case that's the hardest to take.
On the other hand, you can now take solace from knowing you are a member of a persecuted minority.... Persecuted by democracy.
The phrase "Persecuted by democracy" made me think: is it possible for a democracy to persecute a minority (i.e. introduce laws that ill-treats a minority to a significant extent compared to the majority) and still deserve to be called a functioning democracy?
Not that this applies here, but I think the answer's yes.
Let's not forget Team GB's great performance at the Olymics too. So many great moments to choose from there. My favourite was probably seeing Murray win gold, as well as Mo Farah's win too.
Maybe based on advice from the intelligence agencies?
Certainly doesn't suggest much trust of the Iranians....tho I guess it could also be to route close to Cyprus in case of an urgent need to land...
Doubt it's intelligence just basic risk management. Why send your PM over a current flashpoint if you don't have to?
While BA fly over it every day......
Perhaps our PM is a more likely target than peons like you and me?
Since I was sitting in the Virgin Clubhouse waiting to fly to Hong Kong the day MH17 was shotdown I've taken an acute interest in flight routing! It is curious who will and who will not fly over Iran.....but yes I wouldn't like to be the RAF Officer telling the PM 'Sorry PM, short stop in Tehran, some problem with the paperwork.....'
Well if you will fly Virgin...
Handy for a restorative Martini to steady the nerves......subsequently I've been flying Malaysian.....jolly good crew.....and they no longer fly over the Ukraine, tho unlike SQ they do fly over Iran (Garuda avoided Iran recently too....)
Am pretty disciplined in BA to try and consolidate my favours... provided they are price competitive of course...
BA Gold, SQ Solitaire, Virgin Gold.....they all fall away sooner or later.....Jason!
Since I have BA Gold For Life* am not too worried. I don't think airline status is hereditary...
* still working on GGL for Life which would be really cool
How many years to you have to stay Gold before they give it to you for life? They keep stealing mine!
35,000 Tier Points. Which - for someone doing 2,000 TP a year - is 17 and a half years of work. I've been in this game 20 years, and I'm not there yet...
The British energy supplier Ovo has put some very well-spent hours into a comprehensive calculation of the operating costs of the Death Star, which will return to the spotlight in the December 16th movie Rogue One.
They conclude that operating the planet-destroying starbase would cost 6.2 octillion British pounds, or $7.8 octillion, per day—that’s $7,800,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.
Maybe based on advice from the intelligence agencies?
Certainly doesn't suggest much trust of the Iranians....tho I guess it could also be to route close to Cyprus in case of an urgent need to land...
Doubt it's intelligence just basic risk management. Why send your PM over a current flashpoint if you don't have to?
While BA fly over it every day......
Perhaps our PM is a more likely target than peons like you and me?
Since I was sitting in the Virgin Clubhouse waiting to fly to Hong Kong the day MH17 was shotdown I've taken an acute interest in flight routing! It is curious who will and who will not fly over Iran.....but yes I wouldn't like to be the RAF Officer telling the PM 'Sorry PM, short stop in Tehran, some problem with the paperwork.....'
Well if you will fly Virgin...
Handy for a restorative Martini to steady the nerves......subsequently I've been flying Malaysian.....jolly good crew.....and they no longer fly over the Ukraine, tho unlike SQ they do fly over Iran (Garuda avoided Iran recently too....)
Am pretty disciplined in BA to try and consolidate my favours... provided they are price competitive of course...
BA Gold, SQ Solitaire, Virgin Gold.....they all fall away sooner or later.....Jason!
35,000 lifetime points (about 120 return biz flights to NY). GGL for Life is 100,000 which I suspect will be a stretch even for me!
5,000 tier points a year for 20 years. That is quite a lot of flying.
Someone attempted to get to Gold For Life in a year for less than $20,000 (or somesuch), and almost made it. (And had a very entertaining time doing it too.)
Maybe based on advice from the intelligence agencies?
Certainly doesn't suggest much trust of the Iranians....tho I guess it could also be to route close to Cyprus in case of an urgent need to land...
Doubt it's intelligence just basic risk management. Why send your PM over a current flashpoint if you don't have to?
While BA fly over it every day......
Perhaps our PM is a more likely target than peons like you and me?
Since I was sitting in the Virgin Clubhouse waiting to fly to Hong Kong the day MH17 was shotdown I've taken an acute interest in flight routing! It is curious who will and who will not fly over Iran.....but yes I wouldn't like to be the RAF Officer telling the PM 'Sorry PM, short stop in Tehran, some problem with the paperwork.....'
Well if you will fly Virgin...
Handy for a restorative Martini to steady the nerves......subsequently I've been flying Malaysian.....jolly good crew.....and they no longer fly over the Ukraine, tho unlike SQ they do fly over Iran (Garuda avoided Iran recently too....)
Am pretty disciplined in BA to try and consolidate my favours... provided they are price competitive of course...
BA Gold, SQ Solitaire, Virgin Gold.....they all fall away sooner or later.....Jason!
Since I have BA Gold For Life* am not too worried. I don't think airline status is hereditary...
* still working on GGL for Life which would be really cool
How many years to you have to stay Gold before they give it to you for life? They keep stealing mine!
35,000 Tier Points. Which - for someone doing 2,000 TP a year - is 17 and a half years of work. I've been in this game 20 years, and I'm not there yet...
35,000 lifetime points (about 120 return biz flights to NY). GGL for Life is 100,000 which I suspect will be a stretch even for me!
5,000 tier points a year for 20 years. That is quite a lot of flying.
Someone attempted to get to Gold For Life in a year for less than $20,000 (or somesuch), and almost made it. (And had a very entertaining time doing it too.)
Do you have a link? For less than $20k it must be very difficult!
Maybe based on advice from the intelligence agencies?
Certainly doesn't suggest much trust of the Iranians....tho I guess it could also be to route close to Cyprus in case of an urgent need to land...
Doubt it's intelligence just basic risk management. Why send your PM over a current flashpoint if you don't have to?
While BA fly over it every day......
Perhaps our PM is a more likely target than peons like you and me?
Since I was sitting in the Virgin Clubhouse waiting to fly to Hong Kong the day MH17 was shotdown I've taken an acute interest in flight routing! It is curious who will and who will not fly over Iran.....but yes I wouldn't like to be the RAF Officer telling the PM 'Sorry PM, short stop in Tehran, some problem with the paperwork.....'
Well if you will fly Virgin...
Handy for a restorative Martini to steady the nerves......subsequently I've been flying Malaysian.....jolly good crew.....and they no longer fly over the Ukraine, tho unlike SQ they do fly over Iran (Garuda avoided Iran recently too....)
Am pretty disciplined in BA to try and consolidate my favours... provided they are price competitive of course...
BA Gold, SQ Solitaire, Virgin Gold.....they all fall away sooner or later.....Jason!
Since I have BA Gold For Life* am not too worried. I don't think airline status is hereditary...
* still working on GGL for Life which would be really cool
How many years to you have to stay Gold before they give it to you for life? They keep stealing mine!
35,000 Tier Points. Which - for someone doing 2,000 TP a year - is 17 and a half years of work. I've been in this game 20 years, and I'm not there yet...
I give up now, never going to get close to that, unless I can persuade a customer to fly me half way round the world in biz class every fortnight for the next decade!
That's an interesting post and I suspect the experience of many of us. I think we've been under the illusion that when you scratch the surface most people are really rather nice and inclusive. It's the realization that this isn't the case that's the hardest to take.
On the other hand, you can now take solace from knowing you are a member of a persecuted minority.... Persecuted by democracy.
The phrase "Persecuted by democracy" made me think: is it possible for a democracy to persecute a minority (i.e. introduce laws that ill-treats a minority to a significant extent compared to the majority) and still deserve to be called a functioning democracy?
Not that this applies here, but I think the answer's yes.
Yes, in a democracy a minority can gain power. It happens here every GE. Then they can potentially abuse that power and if it benefits their voters still retain power, for a while.
Political bad moments: The referendum result and Trump's election. Good moments Boris backing out of standing for PM and the Richmond (etc) by-election result.
Personal good moments: New Year with both my sons and their families; first time my wife and I have been with BOTH our sons at this time since they were teenagers. They're now around 50! Eldest grandson getting engaged. Watching Wales' (almost) success at the Euro finals. Being told, in June, I was now definitely clear of the bowel cancer that was identified and treated 6 years ago
Bad moments: Being told, in November, that I needed treatment for prostate cancer, and the exploratory biopsy going wrong!
Poster of the Year? Ms Plato. Stuck to her guns over the Septic election and was proved right.
Political bad moments: The referendum result and Trump's election. Good moments Boris backing out of standing for PM and the Richmond (etc) by-election result.
Personal good moments: New Year with both my sons and their families; first time my wife and I have been with BOTH our sons at this time since they were teenagers. They're now around 50! Eldest grandson getting engaged. Watching Wales' (almost) success at the Euro finals. Being told, in June, I was now definitely clear of the bowel cancer that was identified and treated 6 years ago
Bad moments: Being told, in November, that I needed treatment for prostate cancer, and the exploratory biopsy going wrong!
Poster of the Year? Ms Plato. Stuck to her guns over the Septic election and was proved right.
35,000 lifetime points (about 120 return biz flights to NY). GGL for Life is 100,000 which I suspect will be a stretch even for me!
5,000 tier points a year for 20 years. That is quite a lot of flying.
Someone attempted to get to Gold For Life in a year for less than $20,000 (or somesuch), and almost made it. (And had a very entertaining time doing it too.)
Do you have a link? For less than $20k it must be very difficult!
There are "tier point runs", typically from a second tier easy coast US airport to either in Hawaii or Panama City, which manage to net 1,000 points for $7-800, if timed right.
The British energy supplier Ovo has put some very well-spent hours into a comprehensive calculation of the operating costs of the Death Star, which will return to the spotlight in the December 16th movie Rogue One.
They conclude that operating the planet-destroying starbase would cost 6.2 octillion British pounds, or $7.8 octillion, per day—that’s $7,800,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.
35,000 lifetime points (about 120 return biz flights to NY). GGL for Life is 100,000 which I suspect will be a stretch even for me!
5,000 tier points a year for 20 years. That is quite a lot of flying.
Someone attempted to get to Gold For Life in a year for less than $20,000 (or somesuch), and almost made it. (And had a very entertaining time doing it too.)
Do you have a link? For less than $20k it must be very difficult!
The link is on flyer talk, I'll dig it out when I'm in the BA lounge in Munich on my way home this afternoon...
Handy for a restorative Martini to steady the nerves......subsequently I've been flying Malaysian.....jolly good crew.....and they no longer fly over the Ukraine, tho unlike SQ they do fly over Iran (Garuda avoided Iran recently too....)
Am pretty disciplined in BA to try and consolidate my favours... provided they are price competitive of course...
BA Gold, SQ Solitaire, Virgin Gold.....they all fall away sooner or later.....Jason!
Since I have BA Gold For Life* am not too worried. I don't think airline status is hereditary...
* still working on GGL for Life which would be really cool
How many years to you have to stay Gold before they give it to you for life? They keep stealing mine!
35,000 Tier Points. Which - for someone doing 2,000 TP a year - is 17 and a half years of work. I've been in this game 20 years, and I'm not there yet...
I give up now, never going to get close to that, unless I can persuade a customer to fly me half way round the world in biz class every fortnight for the next decade!
I am travelling to Edinburgh today, tomorrow and Friday, Aberdeen on Thursday. You don't earn many Tier points as a Scots lawyer!
Personally I prefer it that way. I have gone from finding flying mildly exciting to numbingly tedious and frustrating with all the idiotic security nonsense. I now generally take the train or drive when coming south to London when I used to fly.
Political bad moments: The referendum result and Trump's election. Good moments Boris backing out of standing for PM and the Richmond (etc) by-election result.
Personal good moments: New Year with both my sons and their families; first time my wife and I have been with BOTH our sons at this time since they were teenagers. They're now around 50! Eldest grandson getting engaged. Watching Wales' (almost) success at the Euro finals. Being told, in June, I was now definitely clear of the bowel cancer that was identified and treated 6 years ago
Bad moments: Being told, in November, that I needed treatment for prostate cancer, and the exploratory biopsy going wrong!
Poster of the Year? Ms Plato. Stuck to her guns over the Septic election and was proved right.
That's a lovely post.
I hope you get well in 2017 and get to spend more happy moments with your two sons.
I think POTY has to be between AM (AntiFrank) and Plato...
I vote tim...
You have to give Plato credit where it's due she predicted Brexit AND Trump would triumph...
Alistair has had an awful year and especially during Brexit he made PB compulsive viwing.
TSE has had a terrible year as well and he's done a good job of keeping the PB show on the road (despite all his trauma's)
Maybe we could have a split POTY?
Aww no, has TSE had a really *****y year too? (Aside from politically, obviously, where he's had a wretched time which will likely have work-related impact too. But he wouldn't be alone in having a politically horrible 2016: YellowSubmarine, Southam, DrFox and various others have my sympathy on that front too.) If he has, I'm sorry I haven't picked up on it. He's done such a huge amount of work for this site, and been in such good form, that I didn't notice any grave personal travails. If so I do hope things look up a bit next year.
Thanks for the sympathy, but it has been a great year for me too. Leicester won the Premier League, and I had £1 on ew at 3000/1, topped up along the way.
As a LD I am used to political defeat, though Richmond was a pleasant end to the year. The party has turned a corner. Brexit is shit but I can survive it, I am fortunate enough to have skills in demand internationally, and enough money to retire abroad if I wish to do so. It is Fox jr who feels it more.
Glad to hear you're not feeling the pain doc. Would you go so far as to say that the Brexit vote stripped away a part of your personal identity, or is it just a potential additional to the administrative pains-in-the-arse for when you want to visit the continent or when your department wants to recruit someone?
There are practical issues, but I do feel stripped of part of my personal identity. I also feel an invisible barrier between myself and other Britons and my many EU friends and colleagues. I feel less patriotic because of what I see my country turning into. For both sides this was not just an issue of economics, but rather an emotional one concerning Britain and its place in the world.
It will overshadow my family for years. I can no longer talk politics and world affairs with my parents, something that previously was a big part of our lives, and neither can my son or brother.
Handy for a restorative Martini to steady the nerves......subsequently I've been flying Malaysian.....jolly good crew.....and they no longer fly over the Ukraine, tho unlike SQ they do fly over Iran (Garuda avoided Iran recently too....)
Am pretty disciplined in BA to try and consolidate my favours... provided they are price competitive of course...
BA Gold, SQ Solitaire, Virgin Gold.....they all fall away sooner or later.....Jason!
Since I have BA Gold For Life* am not too worried. I don't think airline status is hereditary...
* still working on GGL for Life which would be really cool
How many years to you have to stay Gold before they give it to you for life? They keep stealing mine!
35,000 Tier Points. Which - for someone doing 2,000 TP a year - is 17 and a half years of work. I've been in this game 20 years, and I'm not there yet...
I give up now, never going to get close to that, unless I can persuade a customer to fly me half way round the world in biz class every fortnight for the next decade!
I am travelling to Edinburgh today, tomorrow and Friday, Aberdeen on Thursday. You don't earn many Tier points as a Scots lawyer!
Personally I prefer it that way. I have gone from finding flying mildly exciting to numbingly tedious and frustrating with all the idiotic security nonsense. I now generally take the train or drive when coming south to London when I used to fly.
Brexit was nailed on as soon as it became a referendum on immigration.
You had consistently predicted that.
He was not alone. Which made the decision to time the referendum so that the final couple of weeks was dominated by the newly-released immigration figures all the more cack-handed. Did nobody in Remain put two and two together?
I think POTY has to be between AM (AntiFrank) and Plato...
I vote tim...
You have to give Plato credit where it's due she predicted Brexit AND Trump would triumph...
Alistair has had an awful year and especially during Brexit he made PB compulsive viwing.
TSE has had a terrible year as well and he's done a good job of keeping the PB show on the road (despite all his trauma's)
Maybe we could have a split POTY?
Aww no, has TSE had a really *****y year too? (Aside from politically, obviously, where he's had a wretched time which will likely have work-related impact too. But he wouldn't be alone in having a politically horrible 2016: YellowSubmarine, Southam, DrFox and various others have my sympathy on that front too.) If he has, I'm sorry I haven't picked up on it. He's done such a huge amount of work for this site, and been in such good form, that I didn't notice any grave personal travails. If so I do hope things look up a bit next year.
Thanks for the sympathy, but it has been a great year for me too. Leicester won the Premier League, and I had £1 on ew at 3000/1, topped up along the way.
The party has turned a corner. Brexit is shit but I can survive it, I am fortunate enough to have skills in demand internationally, and enough money to retire abroad if I wish to do so. It is Fox jr who feels it more.
Would you go so far as to say that the Brexit vote stripped away a part of your personal identity, or is it just a potential additional to the administrative pains-in-the-arse for when you want to visit the continent or when your department wants to recruit someone?
There are practical issues, but I do feel stripped of part of my personal identity. I also feel an invisible barrier between myself and other Britons and my many EU friends and colleagues. I feel less patriotic because of what I see my country turning into. For both sides this was not just an issue of economics, but rather an emotional one concerning Britain and its place in the world.
It will overshadow my family for years. I can no longer talk politics and world affairs with my parents, something that previously was a big part of our lives, and neither can my son or brother.
Most of the 52% have felt that way for years.
With respect, that doesn't apply to many of the Leavers I know, some at least of whom have banged on about the EU for ages. Fortunately most of my family have seen the advantages and have been busy taking advantage of all the positives.
Interesting Ian hislop piece in the new statesman. Something for everyone to get angry about - criticising populists on left and right for reacting so poorly to criticism and trying to shut down discussion, young people with safe spaces and no platforming, it runs the gamut. Appropriately entitled the age of outrage.
Handy for a restorative Martini to steady the nerves......subsequently I've been flying Malaysian.....jolly good crew.....and they no longer fly over the Ukraine, tho unlike SQ they do fly over Iran (Garuda avoided Iran recently too....)
Am pretty disciplined in BA to try and consolidate my favours... provided they are price competitive of course...
BA Gold, SQ Solitaire, Virgin Gold.....they all fall away sooner or later.....Jason!
Since I have BA Gold For Life* am not too worried. I don't think airline status is hereditary...
* still working on GGL for Life which would be really cool
How many years to you have to stay Gold before they give it to you for life? They keep stealing mine!
35,000 Tier Points. Which - for someone doing 2,000 TP a year - is 17 and a half years of work. I've been in this game 20 years, and I'm not there yet...
I give up now, never going to get close to that, unless I can persuade a customer to fly me half way round the world in biz class every fortnight for the next decade!
I am travelling to Edinburgh today, tomorrow and Friday, Aberdeen on Thursday. You don't earn many Tier points as a Scots lawyer!
Personally I prefer it that way. I have gone from finding flying mildly exciting to numbingly tedious and frustrating with all the idiotic security nonsense. I now generally take the train or drive when coming south to London when I used to fly.
Completely agree. I now detest flying.
I don't mind it. I'm off to Zurich tomorrow for which I have to get an early flight and ..... grr.... I have to get up at the unfeasibly early hour of 4:30 am.
What really annoys is that no matter what I wear and despite taking off practically all my clothes before going through security I still set off every alarm going.
So if tomorrow you see a bleary eyed woman in her jim jams going through security at Terminal 5, that will be me.
Political bad moments: The referendum result and Trump's election. Good moments Boris backing out of standing for PM and the Richmond (etc) by-election result.
Personal good moments: New Year with both my sons and their families; first time my wife and I have been with BOTH our sons at this time since they were teenagers. They're now around 50! Eldest grandson getting engaged. Watching Wales' (almost) success at the Euro finals. Being told, in June, I was now definitely clear of the bowel cancer that was identified and treated 6 years ago
Bad moments: Being told, in November, that I needed treatment for prostate cancer, and the exploratory biopsy going wrong!
Poster of the Year? Ms Plato. Stuck to her guns over the Septic election and was proved right.
That's a lovely post.
I hope you get well in 2017 and get to spend more happy moments with your two sons.
Thanks very much. And to DavidL Must admit I have written off some of the early part of 2017 for much 'happy time" as I've been 'promised' daily hospital visits. However we've a sunshine-seeking trip planned for June, which my wife and I have every intention of a) taking and b) enjoying.
Specifically the huge grin on Ruth's face when she won Edinburgh Central. Not the most important thing of the year but the one that gave me the most cheer.
Handy for a restorative Martini to steady the nerves......subsequently I've been flying Malaysian.....jolly good crew.....and they no longer fly over the Ukraine, tho unlike SQ they do fly over Iran (Garuda avoided Iran recently too....)
Am pretty disciplined in BA to try and consolidate my favours... provided they are price competitive of course...
BA Gold, SQ Solitaire, Virgin Gold.....they all fall away sooner or later.....Jason!
Since I have BA Gold For Life* am not too worried. I don't think airline status is hereditary...
* still working on GGL for Life which would be really cool
How many years to you have to stay Gold before they give it to you for life? They keep stealing mine!
35,000 Tier Points. Which - for someone doing 2,000 TP a year - is 17 and a half years of work. I've been in this game 20 years, and I'm not there yet...
I give up now, n canound the world in biz class every fortnight for the next decade!
I am travelling to Edinburgh today, tomorrow and Friday, Aberdeen on Thursday. You don't earn many Tier points as a Scots lawyer!
Personally I prefer it that way. I have gone from finding flying mildly exciting to numbingly tedious and frustrating with all the idiotic security nonsense. I now generally take the train or drive when coming south to London when I used to fly.
Completely agree. I now detest flying.
I don't mind it. I'm off to Zurich tomorrow for which I have to get an early flight and ..... grr.... I have to get up at the unfeasibly early hour of 4:30 am.
What really annoys is that no matter what I wear and despite taking off practically all my clothes before going through security I still set off every alarm going.
So if tomorrow you see a bleary eyed woman in her jim jams going through security at Terminal 5, that will be me.
Political bad moments: The referendum result and Trump's election. Good moments Boris backing out of standing for PM and the Richmond (etc) by-election result.
Personal good moments: New Year with both my sons and their families; first time my wife and I have been with BOTH our sons at this time since they were teenagers. They're now around 50! Eldest grandson getting engaged. Watching Wales' (almost) success at the Euro finals. Being told, in June, I was now definitely clear of the bowel cancer that was identified and treated 6 years ago
Bad moments: Being told, in November, that I needed treatment for prostate cancer, and the exploratory biopsy going wrong!
Poster of the Year? Ms Plato. Stuck to her guns over the Septic election and was proved right.
That's a lovely post.
I hope you get well in 2017 and get to spend more happy moments with your two sons.
Thanks very much. And to DavidL Must admit I have written off some of the early part of 2017 for much 'happy time" as I've been 'promised' daily hospital visits. However we've a sunshine-seeking trip planned for June, which my wife and I have every intention of a) taking and b) enjoying.
Shadsy often runs a market on Time Person of the Year. It will be hard to look past Donald Trump this year.
Isn't there a chance they might choose someone else just to stick two fingers up.
Fidel Castro perhaps? Or Xi Jinping? Either would see a Trump twitter storm!
Of course, if they wanted to really annoy him it should be Jeb Bush
More seriously, if they want an American I would go for Sanders. He at least asked the right questions (and proved HRC was rubbish at elections).
Internationally, I suppose the key player this year has been Putin, albeit more or less by default - but somehow I don't think they'll want him on he cover.
Comments
Leicester winning the League was perhaps the first of the unlikely results, but what follows is a cautionary tale of hubris.
It will overshadow my family for years. I can no longer talk politics and world affairs with my parents, something that previously was a big part of our lives, and neither can my son or brother.
New York, Siena
https://www.siena.edu/assets/files/news/SNY1216_Crosstabs.pdf
Trump 41/53
Pence 41/40
Those are high for republicans in New York.
Chuck Schumer 67/23
Kristen Gillibrand ( potential 2020 Dem candidate) 51/22
Andrew Cuomo (potential 2020 Dem candidate) 56/36
Obama 63/33
Bill de Blasio 35/45
Trump being President will be good or bad:
Good 47
Bad 45
Very good numbers from New York for Trump, but he would probably still lose New York if the election where held today.
In time, I think the biggest shock of 2016 may be the Lib Dems winning Richmond.
Yes, they won against a part-time Tory leaver in an area that was 72% remain - but they overturned a truly massive majority and have, within my london media bubble of acquaintances, changed the narrative from one of resignation to one of 'we must fight back at any cost'... and the alignment of a great deal of the 'liberal' left.
The Labour Party seem locked in a death spiral and many of the most fervent Corbynites of 2015 in my circle of FB "friends" have already jumped ship. Trump and Brexit feel like part of a predictable pattern but if the Labour party continues its descent into utter irrelevance I can entirely see the Libs supplanting Labour as the main party of opposition in 2020. If that happens - and I think the odds are better than most of us realise, simply because nature abhors a vacuum - then it will be a more significant and long-lasting event in politics than Brexit or, from a distant lens, Trump.
If the Tories are 'the natural party of government' then The Labour Party have been the natural party of opposition for nigh on a century. Until Richmond I assumed they would oust Corbyn in 2020 and normal business would resume.
Trump and Brexit seem like obvious choices. But the supplanting of Labour by the Lib Dems - if it happens - and the subesequent shifting of the Overton Window that would entail - could be seen by historians as the real long-term change in 2016.
Trump will last 8 years at most, we have been members of the European Union / EEC since '73. But that Fallon chap we're all so contemptuous of has the potential to upturn a century old system of Lab, Con, Lab, Con.
It's a long shot, but no longer than Trump / Brexit at 5/1, which were both widely available just days before the events.
And my moments of the year (since I was abroad and so missed both the EU referendum and the US Presidential election) did not have much to do with politics. The 58 year old show jumper winning his first gold medal at the Brazil Olympics and holding back the tears as the National Anthem was played was one of my highlights.
But, really, this year was the year I got 13 thread headers published, for which you have Mr Meeks (one of my favourite posters) to thank (or hiss at) since he encouraged me and TSE and OGH to thank for publishing.
Favourite posters: very difficult - DavidL, Mr Llama, Ydoethur, Foxnsox, SeanT.... very hard to choose.
The people in the Remain campaign who thought they could win a Battle For Britain's Soul by putting pound and pence figures on the cost of leaving were barking up the wrong tree.
As a not-particularly-patriotic chap in the first place, I don't really feel like I have "got my country back" in quite the same way the window cleaner and carpet fitter did... and if they have to get used to "their country" being "England & Wales" rather than "the UK" or "Great Britain", then your own identity-pain will end up being shared around soon enough. Not that that'd be any consolation to you...
Like them 'Boys, dammit.
The RAF took Mrs May over Egypt & Saudi instead....slightly longer flight...
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/zz336#bcec03b
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/dec/05/nigel-farage-shortlisted-for-time-magazines-person-of-the-year-award?CMP=twt_a-politics_b-gdnukpolitics
I certainly agree and surprisingly imo he can still be backed at 17.5 with Betfair to win SPOTY 2016 without the shoo in certainty that is Andy Murray.
That looks like value to me but DYOR.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/05/world/europe/populism-in-age-of-trump.html
My overall feeling having read the piece is that this article normalizes these parties by simply checking boxes on specific policy issues without giving any indication to how extreme or unacceptable a particular say immigration policy is.
Be grateful to know UK and other Europe-based PBers views on how the parties are characterized.
http://time.com/4579969/british-american-baby-names/
* still working on GGL for Life which would be really cool
My moment of the year is probably Leciester winning the league. I really was happy for them. Also Spurs spursing it up on the final day of the season was great too. Politically, it's been a pretty bad year.
The British energy supplier Ovo has put some very well-spent hours into a comprehensive calculation of the operating costs of the Death Star, which will return to the spotlight in the December 16th movie Rogue One.
They conclude that operating the planet-destroying starbase would cost 6.2 octillion British pounds, or $7.8 octillion, per day—that’s $7,800,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.
http://venturebeat.com/2016/12/04/the-death-star-would-cost-7-8-octillion-a-day-to-run/?utm_campaign=Feed:+venturebeat/SZYF+(VentureBeat)&utm_medium=feed&utm_source=feedburner
Not that this applies here, but I think the answer's yes.
Which - for someone doing 2,000 TP a year - is 17 and a half years of work.
I've been in this game 20 years, and I'm not there yet...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv5iEK-IEzw
Someone attempted to get to Gold For Life in a year for less than $20,000 (or somesuch), and almost made it. (And had a very entertaining time doing it too.)
Good moments Boris backing out of standing for PM and the Richmond (etc) by-election result.
Personal good moments: New Year with both my sons and their families; first time my wife and I have been with BOTH our sons at this time since they were teenagers. They're now around 50!
Eldest grandson getting engaged.
Watching Wales' (almost) success at the Euro finals.
Being told, in June, I was now definitely clear of the bowel cancer that was identified and treated 6 years ago
Bad moments: Being told, in November, that I needed treatment for prostate cancer, and the exploratory biopsy going wrong!
Poster of the Year? Ms Plato. Stuck to her guns over the Septic election and was proved right.
Right. Off to Munich.
Personally I prefer it that way. I have gone from finding flying mildly exciting to numbingly tedious and frustrating with all the idiotic security nonsense. I now generally take the train or drive when coming south to London when I used to fly.
I hope you get well in 2017 and get to spend more happy moments with your two sons.
EDIT awarding it to Nigel Farage would be like awarding it to Mini-Me rather than Doctor Evil.
http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2016/12/age-outrage
What really annoys is that no matter what I wear and despite taking off practically all my clothes before going through security I still set off every alarm going.
So if tomorrow you see a bleary eyed woman in her jim jams going through security at Terminal 5, that will be me.
Of course, if they wanted to really annoy him it should be Jeb Bush
More seriously, if they want an American I would go for Sanders. He at least asked the right questions (and proved HRC was rubbish at elections).
Internationally, I suppose the key player this year has been Putin, albeit more or less by default - but somehow I don't think they'll want him on he cover.