I haven't been posting much recently as I am concentrating on getting my diabetes under control with weight loss and exercise. I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2009 and to date have not required medication but as is so often the case, I took liberties with bread, biscuits, chocolates, cakes and fizzy drinks and need to regain control. Have lost 1 stone in last three weeks so doing ok so far.
As for politics I have decided to let it all flow over me for a while, and while I do lurk from time to time, I am not posting as frequently but rest assured it is not because I am upset or out of sorts with anyone, it is just maybe time for a little rest
I like James Cleverly, he comes over as a solid bloke, free of malice, but ironically given the name I sense he does not have quite enough up top to be a credible party leader.
The next Tory leader needs to be a charismatic figure who can talk like a human being and maybe even win a ******* election. They need to be 'populist' in the sense of speaking to and exciting the voters with their promises - populist parties of the right are taking the world by storm, except of course in Britain, where our dullards can't hit an open goal from 5 feet away.
I haven't been posting much recently as I am concentrating on getting my diabetes under control with weight loss and exercise. I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2009 and to date have not required medication but as is so often the case, I took liberties with bread, biscuits, chocolates, cakes and fizzy drinks and need to regain control. Have lost 1 stone in last three weeks so doing ok so far.
As for politics I have decided to let it all flow over me for a while, and while I do lurk from time to time, I am not posting as frequently but rest assured it is not because I am upset or out of sorts with anyone, it is just maybe time for a little rest
I have not gone away folks
Have fun, good luck with life and see you soon! I think the politics of the last few months has got to a lot of us.
The next Tory leader needs to be a charismatic figure who can talk like a human being and maybe even win a ******* election. They need to be 'populist' in the sense of speaking to and exciting the voters with their promises - populist parties of the right are taking the world by storm, except of course in Britain, where our dullards can't hit an open goal from 5 feet away.
I haven't been posting much recently as I am concentrating on getting my diabetes under control with weight loss and exercise. I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2009 and to date have not required medication but as is so often the case, I took liberties with bread, biscuits, chocolates, cakes and fizzy drinks and need to regain control. Have lost 1 stone in last three weeks so doing ok so far.
As for politics I have decided to let it all flow over me for a while, and while I do lurk from time to time, I am not posting as frequently but rest assured it is not because I am upset or out of sorts with anyone, it is just maybe time for a little rest
I have not gone away folks
Have fun, good luck with life and see you soon! I think the politics of the last few months has got to a lot of us.
Thank you for your kind remarks. I do feel very relaxed but very sorry to see Notre Dame on fire
The next Tory leader needs to be a charismatic figure who can talk like a human being and maybe even win a ******* election. They need to be 'populist' in the sense of speaking to and exciting the voters with their promises - populist parties of the right are taking the world by storm, except of course in Britain, where our dullards can't hit an open goal from 5 feet away.
So no one in the parliamentary party then.
No one who leaps to mind. Ideally, I'd like a time machine back to 2016 Boris, when he could perhaps have been that leader. But today - who the hell knows?
That the Tory party in 2016 didn’t just give the job to Boris with instructions to dole out £350m a week to the NHS has got to be one of the biggest rickets in party political history
That the Tory party in 2016 didn’t just give the job to Boris with instructions to dole out £350m a week to the NHS has got to be one of the biggest rickets in party political history
That strategy was such a no-brainer that the implications for the Tories' collective IQ is really quite terrifying.
That the Tory party in 2016 didn’t just give the job to Boris with instructions to dole out £350m a week to the NHS has got to be one of the biggest rickets in party political history
That the Tory party in 2016 didn’t just give the job to Boris with instructions to dole out £350m a week to the NHS has got to be one of the biggest rickets in party political history
Even more so when you consider that May dished out more than £350m subsequently - and it has done the Tories no good.
They had another chance to do the £350m thing in the June 2017 election. As, ahem, some of us on here were screaming for them to do. But that would have vindicated Boris, made hm the heir apparent - and that wouldn't do. Wouldn't do at all....
I haven't been posting much recently as I am concentrating on getting my diabetes under control with weight loss and exercise. I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2009 and to date have not required medication but as is so often the case, I took liberties with bread, biscuits, chocolates, cakes and fizzy drinks and need to regain control. Have lost 1 stone in last three weeks so doing ok so far.
As for politics I have decided to let it all flow over me for a while, and while I do lurk from time to time, I am not posting as frequently but rest assured it is not because I am upset or out of sorts with anyone, it is just maybe time for a little rest
That the Tory party in 2016 didn’t just give the job to Boris with instructions to dole out £350m a week to the NHS has got to be one of the biggest rickets in party political history
And then what?
Boris' time as MoL does not bode well.
Why? One of the biggest multi-cultural cities on the planet didn't exactly fall into the Thames on his watch.....
The PoW refurbishment project should take note. The second palace could easily befall the fate of the first during restoration.
One can only hope so.
Well, the current set up was built (and considerably modernised) when the original Palace of Westminster burned down in 1834. Perhaps a second conflagration would give a chance to do what that sentimental old duffer Churchill flunked on after the Blitz and build something new and effective.
Horrific images. Can see smoke in the sky from the flat. Looks like it's burning from the inside out and it's clearly too intense at the moment for them to risk lives to save a monument, no matter how important it is.
Horrific images. Can see smoke in the sky from the flat. Looks like it's burning from the inside out and it's clearly too intense at the moment for them to risk lives to save a monument, no matter how important it is.
Horrific images. Can see smoke in the sky from the flat. Looks like it's burning from the inside out and it's clearly too intense at the moment for them to risk lives to save a monument, no matter how important it is.
You would have thought however intense the flames, the walls will remain largely intact.
But the interior, the woodwork, the glass, possibly the bells...
It could easily be like a larger scale version of Coventry.
Edit - you also have to wonder, even if they can save the east end, how badly the organ will be damaged. Smoke, soot and electrical surges do not mix with delicate pipe work.
There are three scenarios it seems to this non-Conservative observer - the "In Government" election, the "250" election and the "150" election.
If May steps down voluntarily (Cameron) or is forced from office (Thatcher) while the Conservatives remain in Government, it's much more likely the successor will come from the Cabinet so Hunt, Javid, Rudd perhaps?
The "250" election is when the Conservatives have lost power but only narrowly - they are a strong Opposition and it looks likely they will be out for only one term or less. Had such an event occurred in 1997 and for example Portillo had survived, would Hague have become leader from the position of Shadow Welsh Secretary? Seems improbable. Again you are looking at a youngish senior ex-Cabinet member who can re-invigorate the Party in a couple of years and take them back to power.
The "150" election is the 1997 scenario - the Conservatives have been given the dockside hooker treatment (to paraphrase Me Eagles) and a number of those who might have led the party have either fallen or realise that two terms minimum puts them out of the running. At that point even those in their late 40s among the survivors such as Tugendhat and Cleverly look unlikely. It's also worth mentioning Braintree was Labour from 1997 to 2005 there's no guarantee Cleverly would be among the survivors.
The obvious younger candidates to this observer are Kemi Badenoch and Rishi Sunak whose seats survived the 1997 purge and would likely survive again. Both would be a notable contrast to an ageing Labour frontbench and would be worth considering but only if returning to power looked like a 10-year project.
I haven't been posting much recently as I am concentrating on getting my diabetes under control with weight loss and exercise. I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2009 and to date have not required medication but as is so often the case, I took liberties with bread, biscuits, chocolates, cakes and fizzy drinks and need to regain control. Have lost 1 stone in last three weeks so doing ok so far.
As for politics I have decided to let it all flow over me for a while, and while I do lurk from time to time, I am not posting as frequently but rest assured it is not because I am upset or out of sorts with anyone, it is just maybe time for a little rest
I have not gone away folks
Have a look at low carb/keto diets. People have put T2D into remission with a low carb diet, and lost shedloads of weight. It works.
That the Tory party in 2016 didn’t just give the job to Boris with instructions to dole out £350m a week to the NHS has got to be one of the biggest rickets in party political history
I don't think there's been anything that's happened of late that has convinced me that he has any particular competence.
Would he have been organisationally superior in terms of long-term No Deal planning from the start? There's nothing in his background that suggests the methodical "putting the pieces in place" would have happened under his watch.
Would he have been more inclusive, in terms of reaching out across the House of Commons to assemble a coalition? Unlikely.
Would he have had the electoral disaster of 2016? Well, probably not. But that's a massive f*cking counterfactual.
Ultimately, the facts of negotiating with the EU would not have changed due to the presence of Boris on the team. Maybe he'd have had more red lines early on. Maybe he could have done a better job. But he is not a man with an eye for detail, and it seems more likely he would have handwaved something through, not realising its significance until later.
I haven't been posting much recently as I am concentrating on getting my diabetes under control with weight loss and exercise. I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2009 and to date have not required medication but as is so often the case, I took liberties with bread, biscuits, chocolates, cakes and fizzy drinks and need to regain control. Have lost 1 stone in last three weeks so doing ok so far.
As for politics I have decided to let it all flow over me for a while, and while I do lurk from time to time, I am not posting as frequently but rest assured it is not because I am upset or out of sorts with anyone, it is just maybe time for a little rest
I have not gone away folks
Have a look at low carb/keto diets. People have put T2D into remission with a low carb diet, and lost shedloads of weight. It works.
Yes thank you. I am following a strict diet and am determined to recover the control I have had for the last 10 years
It would probably be better for the world if he was, but sadly I think we must assume Trump is serious, and therefore quite dangerously stupid. God help us all if there is a real crisis when Trump's in charge.
The desperation stage seems to have been reached quickly.
The Conservatives need a leader who all of them can at least speak with. I appreciate that limits the field considerably. They also need one that all of them can take seriously. That limits it further.
The Conservatives will probably choose a candidate who fails one or other of these tests, reasoning along the lines that Aaron Bell does. But for me it comes down to the same unpalatable choice between Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid and maybe Matthew Hancock.
The desperation stage seems to have been reached quickly.
The Conservatives need a leader who all of them can at least speak with. I appreciate that limits the field considerably. They also need one that all of them can take seriously. That limits it further.
The Conservatives will probably choose a candidate who fails one or other of these tests, reasoning along the lines that Aaron Bell does. But for me it comes down to the same unpalatable choice between Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid and maybe Matthew Hancock.
The desperation stage seems to have been reached quickly.
The Conservatives need a leader who all of them can at least speak with. I appreciate that limits the field considerably. They also need one that all of them can take seriously. That limits it further.
The Conservatives will probably choose a candidate who fails one or other of these tests, reasoning along the lines that Aaron Bell does. But for me it comes down to the same unpalatable choice between Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid and maybe Matthew Hancock.
There are three scenarios it seems to this non-Conservative observer - the "In Government" election, the "250" election and the "150" election.
If May steps down voluntarily (Cameron) or is forced from office (Thatcher) while the Conservatives remain in Government, it's much more likely the successor will come from the Cabinet so Hunt, Javid, Rudd perhaps?
Well, yes, they’re more likely - but shorter prices! Though I think, given the membership role, we might yet be in for a surprise. For fuller disclosure my best four results (across the Con leader and PM markets) are Cleverly, Hancock, Hunt & Javid - in that order at present.
Horrific images. Can see smoke in the sky from the flat. Looks like it's burning from the inside out and it's clearly too intense at the moment for them to risk lives to save a monument, no matter how important it is.
You would have thought however intense the flames, the walls will remain largely intact.
But the interior, the woodwork, the glass, possibly the bells...
It could easily be like a larger scale version of Coventry.
Edit - you also have to wonder, even if they can save the east end, how badly the organ will be damaged. Smoke, soot and electrical surges do not mix with delicate pipe work.
IANAE, but fire and stonework - especially stonework - is not good. Intense fire can change the colour of stone, cause chemical changes, make it friable and cause spalling, and thermal shock can destroy walls (yet alone falling woodwork levering out and knocking down walls).
There is a chance that the walls will not be structurally sound for the sort of weight they have to hold afterwards.
On the other hand, as I mentioned earlier, they magnificently restored York Minster's South Transept. Except they're sayingg the entire interior is ablaze.
That fire isn't going out anytime soon, no matter how many times Dermot Murnaghan says it looks like the French fireys have got it under control. It'll be burning for hours if not days under the rubble of the roof, the rubble acting like a huge charcoal oven consuming any wooden structures or furniture that currently remain. No easy way to fight it, you can't commit crews inside due to risk of further collapse, and it's not easy getting big water onto it. The Pompiers will be earning their pay tonight.
I haven't been posting much recently as I am concentrating on getting my diabetes under control with weight loss and exercise. I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2009 and to date have not required medication but as is so often the case, I took liberties with bread, biscuits, chocolates, cakes and fizzy drinks and need to regain control. Have lost 1 stone in last three weeks so doing ok so far.
As for politics I have decided to let it all flow over me for a while, and while I do lurk from time to time, I am not posting as frequently but rest assured it is not because I am upset or out of sorts with anyone, it is just maybe time for a little rest
I have not gone away folks
Have a look at low carb/keto diets. People have put T2D into remission with a low carb diet, and lost shedloads of weight. It works.
Yes thank you. I am following a strict diet and am determined to recover the control I have had for the last 10 years
10 kg weight loss is the key to getting remission according to Prof Taylor of the DiRECT trial:
That fire isn't going out anytime soon, no matter how many times Dermot Murnaghan says it looks like the French fireys have got it under control. It'll be burning for hours if not days under the rubble of the roof, the rubble acting like a huge charcoal oven consuming any wooden structures or furniture that currently remain. No easy way to fight it, you can't commit crews inside due to risk of further collapse, and it's not easy getting big water onto it. The Pompiers will be earning their pay tonight.
Reports at the moment that the wooden structure is destroyed. Horrifying.
“What is civilisation? I don’t know. I can’t define it in abstract terms, yet. But I think I can recognise it when I see it, and I’m looking at it now.”
That the Tory party in 2016 didn’t just give the job to Boris with instructions to dole out £350m a week to the NHS has got to be one of the biggest rickets in party political history
And then what?
Boris' time as MoL does not bode well.
The person who tipped the balance in the campaign would have had the chance to take responsibility instead of the neither here or there nonsense we’ve had since
IANAE, but fire and stonework - especially stonework - is not good. Intense fire can change the colour of stone, cause chemical changes, make it friable and cause spalling, and thermal shock can destroy walls (yet alone falling woodwork levering out and knocking down walls).
They've been trying to get repairs done for years, apparently the stonework was already in pretty rotten shape (perhaps inevitably given it's 900 years old).
I haven't been posting much recently as I am concentrating on getting my diabetes under control with weight loss and exercise. I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2009 and to date have not required medication but as is so often the case, I took liberties with bread, biscuits, chocolates, cakes and fizzy drinks and need to regain control. Have lost 1 stone in last three weeks so doing ok so far.
As for politics I have decided to let it all flow over me for a while, and while I do lurk from time to time, I am not posting as frequently but rest assured it is not because I am upset or out of sorts with anyone, it is just maybe time for a little rest
I have not gone away folks
Have a look at low carb/keto diets. People have put T2D into remission with a low carb diet, and lost shedloads of weight. It works.
Yes thank you. I am following a strict diet and am determined to recover the control I have had for the last 10 years
10 kg weight loss is the key to getting remission according to Prof Taylor of the DiRECT trial:
There are other useful positives for blood pressure, and arthritis too in such weight loss.
Keeping it off is the tough bit.
Thanks Dr Foxy. I have lost 7 kg so far and will achieve 10 kg and I appreciate the benefit on blood pressure and my osteoarthritis. It is a no brainer really
That the Tory party in 2016 didn’t just give the job to Boris with instructions to dole out £350m a week to the NHS has got to be one of the biggest rickets in party political history
I don't think there's been anything that's happened of late that has convinced me that he has any particular competence.
Would he have been organisationally superior in terms of long-term No Deal planning from the start? There's nothing in his background that suggests the methodical "putting the pieces in place" would have happened under his watch.
Would he have been more inclusive, in terms of reaching out across the House of Commons to assemble a coalition? Unlikely.
Would he have had the electoral disaster of 2016? Well, probably not. But that's a massive f*cking counterfactual.
Ultimately, the facts of negotiating with the EU would not have changed due to the presence of Boris on the team. Maybe he'd have had more red lines early on. Maybe he could have done a better job. But he is not a man with an eye for detail, and it seems more likely he would have handwaved something through, not realising its significance until later.
I don’t particularly think he’s any good. But they’d probably have won a majority with him in charge promising £350m pw for the NHS in the manifesto and taking on Jez on tv than May saying she’s going to nick your pension and ducking the debates
That the Tory party in 2016 didn’t just give the job to Boris with instructions to dole out £350m a week to the NHS has got to be one of the biggest rickets in party political history
And then what?
Boris' time as MoL does not bode well.
Why? One of the biggest multi-cultural cities on the planet didn't exactly fall into the Thames on his watch.....
As has been discussed on here many times, he had a rather (ahem) laid-back management style, and his achievements were few. But worst of all was the Garden Bridge project: a vanity scheme to benefit him and his chums, and he treated the inquiry with aloof contempt. It cost £53 million, and they didn't even get a spade in the ground.
That fire isn't going out anytime soon, no matter how many times Dermot Murnaghan says it looks like the French fireys have got it under control. It'll be burning for hours if not days under the rubble of the roof, the rubble acting like a huge charcoal oven consuming any wooden structures or furniture that currently remain. No easy way to fight it, you can't commit crews inside due to risk of further collapse, and it's not easy getting big water onto it. The Pompiers will be earning their pay tonight.
He continues to talk utter rubbish commenting on things he cannot possibly know.
A perfect example of the poor level of journalism generally and in particular on brexit
That the Tory party in 2016 didn’t just give the job to Boris with instructions to dole out £350m a week to the NHS has got to be one of the biggest rickets in party political history
And then what?
Boris' time as MoL does not bode well.
The person who tipped the balance in the campaign would have had the chance to take responsibility instead of the neither here or there nonsense we’ve had since
Horrific images. Can see smoke in the sky from the flat. Looks like it's burning from the inside out and it's clearly too intense at the moment for them to risk lives to save a monument, no matter how important it is.
You would have thought however intense the flames, the walls will remain largely intact.
But the interior, the woodwork, the glass, possibly the bells...
It could easily be like a larger scale version of Coventry.
Edit - you also have to wonder, even if they can save the east end, how badly the organ will be damaged. Smoke, soot and electrical surges do not mix with delicate pipe work.
IANAE, but fire and stonework - especially stonework - is not good. Intense fire can change the colour of stone, cause chemical changes, make it friable and cause spalling, and thermal shock can destroy walls (yet alone falling woodwork levering out and knocking down walls).
There is a chance that the walls will not be structurally sound for the sort of weight they have to hold afterwards.
On the other hand, as I mentioned earlier, they magnificently restored York Minster's South Transept. Except they're sayingg the entire interior is ablaze.
If Coventry could withstand incendiaries, there is a reasonable chance the walls might survive this.
That fire isn't going out anytime soon, no matter how many times Dermot Murnaghan says it looks like the French fireys have got it under control. It'll be burning for hours if not days under the rubble of the roof, the rubble acting like a huge charcoal oven consuming any wooden structures or furniture that currently remain. No easy way to fight it, you can't commit crews inside due to risk of further collapse, and it's not easy getting big water onto it. The Pompiers will be earning their pay tonight.
Reports at the moment that the wooden structure is destroyed. Horrifying.
I seem to recall that the reason they put stone vaulted roofs in the gothic cathedrals in the middle ages was to save them in the event of a fire. Have there been any reports that the vaulting has collapsed?
That fire isn't going out anytime soon, no matter how many times Dermot Murnaghan says it looks like the French fireys have got it under control. It'll be burning for hours if not days under the rubble of the roof, the rubble acting like a huge charcoal oven consuming any wooden structures or furniture that currently remain. No easy way to fight it, you can't commit crews inside due to risk of further collapse, and it's not easy getting big water onto it. The Pompiers will be earning their pay tonight.
Reports at the moment that the wooden structure is destroyed. Horrifying.
I seem to recall that the reason they put stone vaulted roofs in the gothic cathedrals in the middle ages was to save them in the event of a fire. Have there been any reports that the vaulting has collapsed?
The prefect said they were waiting to see if the vaulting would protect it.
But it's one thing protecting the interior from a fire in the wooden roof, and quite another to expect it to withstand the spire collapsing on it.
That the Tory party in 2016 didn’t just give the job to Boris with instructions to dole out £350m a week to the NHS has got to be one of the biggest rickets in party political history
And then what?
Boris' time as MoL does not bode well.
The person who tipped the balance in the campaign would have had the chance to take responsibility instead of the neither here or there nonsense we’ve had since
Again, I refer you to Boris' track record ...
Who has a good comparable record? At least he’s won a couple of mayoralties and the referendum.
As I say I can take him or leave him, but at least he has energy and ideas. And the 350m a week promise was a no brainer
Lets be fair, you used to argue with me that UKIP should get rid of Farage if they wanted to prosper... hardly a great track record of predictions
I haven't been posting much recently as I am concentrating on getting my diabetes under control with weight loss and exercise. I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2009 and to date have not required medication but as is so often the case, I took liberties with bread, biscuits, chocolates, cakes and fizzy drinks and need to regain control. Have lost 1 stone in last three weeks so doing ok so far.
As for politics I have decided to let it all flow over me for a while, and while I do lurk from time to time, I am not posting as frequently but rest assured it is not because I am upset or out of sorts with anyone, it is just maybe time for a little rest
I have not gone away folks
Have a look at low carb/keto diets. People have put T2D into remission with a low carb diet, and lost shedloads of weight. It works.
Yes thank you. I am following a strict diet and am determined to recover the control I have had for the last 10 years
10 kg weight loss is the key to getting remission according to Prof Taylor of the DiRECT trial:
There are other useful positives for blood pressure, and arthritis too in such weight loss.
Keeping it off is the tough bit.
Thanks Dr Foxy. I have lost 7 kg so far and will achieve 10 kg and I appreciate the benefit on blood pressure and my osteoarthritis. It is a no brainer really
Prof Taylor is an enthusiast for his liquid diet, which is rather bland but works, but when I have seen him speak has been quite open that any diet that delivers the weight loss works. He is quite sceptical about exercise as he thinks this inhibits weight loss because of raised metabolism and hunger.
A kg of fat is about 9000 Calories, so to lose 10kg* means consuming 1500 fewer Calories per day for 60 days. Abdominal fat is the bit that matters for diabetes, and waist at belly button level should be less than half of height is a simple metric.
*Initial weight loss is stored glycogen and water, so quicker.
That the Tory party in 2016 didn’t just give the job to Boris with instructions to dole out £350m a week to the NHS has got to be one of the biggest rickets in party political history
And then what?
Boris' time as MoL does not bode well.
The person who tipped the balance in the campaign would have had the chance to take responsibility instead of the neither here or there nonsense we’ve had since
Again, I refer you to Boris' track record ...
Who has a good comparable record? At least he’s won a couple of mayoralties and the referendum.
As I say I can take him or leave him, but at least he has energy and ideas. And the 350m a week promise was a no brainer
Lets be fair, you used to argue with me that UKIP should get rid of Farage if they wanted to prosper... hardly a great track record of predictions
Horrific images. Can see smoke in the sky from the flat. Looks like it's burning from the inside out and it's clearly too intense at the moment for them to risk lives to save a monument, no matter how important it is.
You would have thought however intense the flames, the walls will remain largely intact.
But the interior, the woodwork, the glass, possibly the bells...
It could easily be like a larger scale version of Coventry.
Edit - you also have to wonder, even if they can save the east end, how badly the organ will be damaged. Smoke, soot and electrical surges do not mix with delicate pipe work.
IANAE, but fire and stonework - especially stonework - is not good. Intense fire can change the colour of stone, cause chemical changes, make it friable and cause spalling, and thermal shock can destroy walls (yet alone falling woodwork levering out and knocking down walls).
There is a chance that the walls will not be structurally sound for the sort of weight they have to hold afterwards.
On the other hand, as I mentioned earlier, they magnificently restored York Minster's South Transept. Except they're sayingg the entire interior is ablaze.
If Coventry could withstand incendiaries, there is a reasonable chance the walls might survive this.
But if the interior is on fire...
Much will probably depend on the type of stone, and the length of the fire it is subjected to. They also didn't rebuild Coventry; just because the walls are standing does not mean they're strong enough to support the hundreds of tonnes of structure that used to stand above them.
I hope I'm being too pessimistic.
If something good can come out of this, it may be that we start to appreciate the marvellous architecture that surrounds us, and that we often take too much for granted.
I haven't been posting much recently as I am concentrating on getting my diabetes under control with weight loss and exercise. I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2009 and to date have not required medication but as is so often the case, I took liberties with bread, biscuits, chocolates, cakes and fizzy drinks and need to regain control. Have lost 1 stone in last three weeks so doing ok so far.
As for politics I have decided to let it all flow over me for a while, and while I do lurk from time to time, I am not posting as frequently but rest assured it is not because I am upset or out of sorts with anyone, it is just maybe time for a little rest
I have not gone away folks
Have a look at low carb/keto diets. People have put T2D into remission with a low carb diet, and lost shedloads of weight. It works.
Yes thank you. I am following a strict diet and am determined to recover the control I have had for the last 10 years
10 kg weight loss is the key to getting remission according to Prof Taylor of the DiRECT trial:
There are other useful positives for blood pressure, and arthritis too in such weight loss.
Keeping it off is the tough bit.
Thanks Dr Foxy. I have lost 7 kg so far and will achieve 10 kg and I appreciate the benefit on blood pressure and my osteoarthritis. It is a no brainer really
Prof Taylor is an enthusiast for his liquid diet, which is rather bland but works, but when I have seen him speak has been quite open that any diet that delivers the weight loss works. He is quite sceptical about exercise as he thinks this inhibits weight loss because of raised metabolism and hunger.
A kg of fat is about 9000 Calories, so to lose 10kg* means consuming 1500 fewer Calories per day for 60 days. Abdominal fat is the bit that matters for diabetes, and waist at belly button level should be less than half of height is a simple metric.
*Initial weight loss is stored glycogen and water, so quicker.
Thank you again. I do agree on exercise which I am restricted due to my arthritis
That the Tory party in 2016 didn’t just give the job to Boris with instructions to dole out £350m a week to the NHS has got to be one of the biggest rickets in party political history
And then what?
Boris' time as MoL does not bode well.
The person who tipped the balance in the campaign would have had the chance to take responsibility instead of the neither here or there nonsense we’ve had since
Again, I refer you to Boris' track record ...
Who has a good comparable record? At least he’s won a couple of mayoralties and the referendum.
As I say I can take him or leave him, but at least he has energy and ideas. And the 350m a week promise was a no brainer
Lets be fair, you used to argue with me that UKIP should get rid of Farage if they wanted to prosper... hardly a great track record of predictions
Boris has energy? One of the complaints against him as MoL is exactly the opposite: he was lazy.
I think your last paragraph is incorrect: I doubt that was me.
Horrific images. Can see smoke in the sky from the flat. Looks like it's burning from the inside out and it's clearly too intense at the moment for them to risk lives to save a monument, no matter how important it is.
You would have thought however intense the flames, the walls will remain largely intact.
But the interior, the woodwork, the glass, possibly the bells...
It could easily be like a larger scale version of Coventry.
Edit - you also have to wonder, even if they can save the east end, how badly the organ will be damaged. Smoke, soot and electrical surges do not mix with delicate pipe work.
IANAE, but fire and stonework - especially stonework - is not good. Intense fire can change the colour of stone, cause chemical changes, make it friable and cause spalling, and thermal shock can destroy walls (yet alone falling woodwork levering out and knocking down walls).
There is a chance that the walls will not be structurally sound for the sort of weight they have to hold afterwards.
On the other hand, as I mentioned earlier, they magnificently restored York Minster's South Transept. Except they're sayingg the entire interior is ablaze.
If Coventry could withstand incendiaries, there is a reasonable chance the walls might survive this.
But if the interior is on fire...
Much will probably depend on the type of stone, and the length of the fire it is subjected to. They also didn't rebuild Coventry; just because the walls are standing does not mean they're strong enough to support the hundreds of tonnes of structure that used to stand above them.
I hope I'm being too pessimistic.
If something good can come out of this, it may be that we start to appreciate the marvellous architecture that surrounds us, and that we often take too much for granted.
Except Brutalist ...
That wasn't the reason they didn't rebuild Coventry, though, so I don't think that's relevant. Some repairs and strengthening would have been needed, but a full restoration would have been a viable option. It was rejected because it was felt the ruin was a more fitting memorial to the Coventry Blitz.
That fire isn't going out anytime soon, no matter how many times Dermot Murnaghan says it looks like the French fireys have got it under control. It'll be burning for hours if not days under the rubble of the roof, the rubble acting like a huge charcoal oven consuming any wooden structures or furniture that currently remain. No easy way to fight it, you can't commit crews inside due to risk of further collapse, and it's not easy getting big water onto it. The Pompiers will be earning their pay tonight.
Reports at the moment that the wooden structure is destroyed. Horrifying.
I seem to recall that the reason they put stone vaulted roofs in the gothic cathedrals in the middle ages was to save them in the event of a fire. Have there been any reports that the vaulting has collapsed?
The prefect said they were waiting to see if the vaulting would protect it.
But it's one thing protecting the interior from a fire in the wooden roof, and quite another to expect it to withstand the spire collapsing on it.
Not to diminsh it but it was a wooden spire, not stone. Quite a lot of lead on there too but I guess that will melt and run off the vaulting.
Prof Taylor is an enthusiast for his liquid diet, which is rather bland but works, but when I have seen him speak has been quite open that any diet that delivers the weight loss works. He is quite sceptical about exercise as he thinks this inhibits weight loss because of raised metabolism and hunger.
A kg of fat is about 9000 Calories, so to lose 10kg* means consuming 1500 fewer Calories per day for 60 days. Abdominal fat is the bit that matters for diabetes, and waist at belly button level should be less than half of height is a simple metric.
*Initial weight loss is stored glycogen and water, so quicker.
I'd really say to do more exercise if you can. 1 mile (20 minutes walking) is 70-100 calories depending on build, terrain and weight carried. Contrary to what you say above, I also find that exercise reduces my appetite. Just five or six miles a day can make a difference.
Exercise also really helps mental wellbeing: at least in my case.
That fire isn't going out anytime soon, no matter how many times Dermot Murnaghan says it looks like the French fireys have got it under control. It'll be burning for hours if not days under the rubble of the roof, the rubble acting like a huge charcoal oven consuming any wooden structures or furniture that currently remain. No easy way to fight it, you can't commit crews inside due to risk of further collapse, and it's not easy getting big water onto it. The Pompiers will be earning their pay tonight.
Reports at the moment that the wooden structure is destroyed. Horrifying.
I seem to recall that the reason they put stone vaulted roofs in the gothic cathedrals in the middle ages was to save them in the event of a fire. Have there been any reports that the vaulting has collapsed?
The prefect said they were waiting to see if the vaulting would protect it.
But it's one thing protecting the interior from a fire in the wooden roof, and quite another to expect it to withstand the spire collapsing on it.
Not to diminsh it but it was a wooden spire, not stone. Quite a lot of lead on there too but I guess that will melt and run off the vaulting.
If several tons of flaming wood fell on me, I assure you I would collapse.
The reports are that the interior has caught fire. Although hey also say that salvage is underway. Whether either or both are correct I don't know and I suspect we won't know before tomorrow.
Horrific images. Can see smoke in the sky from the flat. Looks like it's burning from the inside out and it's clearly too intense at the moment for them to risk lives to save a monument, no matter how important it is.
You would have thought however intense the flames, the walls will remain largely intact.
But the interior, the woodwork, the glass, possibly the bells...
It could easily be like a larger scale version of Coventry.
Edit - you also have to wonder, even if they can save the east end, how badly the organ will be damaged. Smoke, soot and electrical surges do not mix with delicate pipe work.
IANAE, but fire and stonework - especially stonework - is not good. Intense fire can change the colour of stone, cause chemical changes, make it friable and cause spalling, and thermal shock can destroy walls (yet alone falling woodwork levering out and knocking down walls).
There is a chance that the walls will not be structurally sound for the sort of weight they have to hold afterwards.
On the other hand, as I mentioned earlier, they magnificently restored York Minster's South Transept. Except they're sayingg the entire interior is ablaze.
If Coventry could withstand incendiaries, there is a reasonable chance the walls might survive this.
But if the interior is on fire...
Much will probably depend on the type of stone, and the length of the fire it is subjected to. They also didn't rebuild Coventry; just because the walls are standing does not mean they're strong enough to support the hundreds of tonnes of structure that used to stand above them.
I hope I'm being too pessimistic.
If something good can come out of this, it may be that we start to appreciate the marvellous architecture that surrounds us, and that we often take too much for granted.
Except Brutalist ...
I am a rather puritanical Christian, so prefer a far simpler architectural and litergical style, but am very saddened to see such loss of artistic and cultural heritage. It is part of all our history, not just the French.
That the Tory party in 2016 didn’t just give the job to Boris with instructions to dole out £350m a week to the NHS has got to be one of the biggest rickets in party political history
And then what?
Boris' time as MoL does not bode well.
The person who tipped the balance in the campaign would have had the chance to take responsibility instead of the neither here or there nonsense we’ve had since
Again, I refer you to Boris' track record ...
Who has a good comparable record? At least he’s won a couple of mayoralties and the referendum.
As I say I can take him or leave him, but at least he has energy and ideas. And the 350m a week promise was a no brainer
Lets be fair, you used to argue with me that UKIP should get rid of Farage if they wanted to prosper... hardly a great track record of predictions
Boris has energy? One of the complaints against him as MoL is exactly the opposite: he was lazy.
I think your last paragraph is incorrect: I doubt that was me.
It was you, but don’t worry about it I’m watching the football now.
That the Tory party in 2016 didn’t just give the job to Boris with instructions to dole out £350m a week to the NHS has got to be one of the biggest rickets in party political history
And then what?
Boris' time as MoL does not bode well.
The person who tipped the balance in the campaign would have had the chance to take responsibility instead of the neither here or there nonsense we’ve had since
Again, I refer you to Boris' track record ...
Who has a good comparable record? At least he’s won a couple of mayoralties and the referendum.
As I say I can take him or leave him, but at least he has energy and ideas. And the 350m a week promise was a no brainer
Lets be fair, you used to argue with me that UKIP should get rid of Farage if they wanted to prosper... hardly a great track record of predictions
Why?
Who could say it was a lie on the side of a bus if he did it?
Horrific images. Can see smoke in the sky from the flat. Looks like it's burning from the inside out and it's clearly too intense at the moment for them to risk lives to save a monument, no matter how important it is.
You would have thought however intense the flames, the walls will remain largely intact.
But the interior, the woodwork, the glass, possibly the bells...
It could easily be like a larger scale version of Coventry.
Edit - you also have to wonder, even if they can save the east end, how badly the organ will be damaged. Smoke, soot and electrical surges do not mix with delicate pipe work.
IANAE, but fire and stonework - especially stonework - is not good. Intense fire can change the colour of stone, cause chemical changes, make it friable and cause spalling, and thermal shock can destroy walls (yet alone falling woodwork levering out and knocking down walls).
There is a chance that the walls will not be structurally sound for the sort of weight they have to hold afterwards.
On the other hand, as I mentioned earlier, they magnificently restored York Minster's South Transept. Except they're sayingg the entire interior is ablaze.
If Coventry could withstand incendiaries, there is a reasonable chance the walls might survive this.
But if the interior is on fire...
Much will probably depend on the type of stone, and the length of the fire it is subjected to. They also didn't rebuild Coventry; just because the walls are standing does not mean they're strong enough to support the hundreds of tonnes of structure that used to stand above them.
I hope I'm being too pessimistic.
If something good can come out of this, it may be that we start to appreciate the marvellous architecture that surrounds us, and that we often take too much for granted.
Except Brutalist ...
That wasn't the reason they didn't rebuild Coventry, though, so I don't think that's relevant. Some repairs and strengthening would have been needed, but a full restoration would have been a viable option. It was rejected because it was felt the ruin was a more fitting memorial to the Coventry Blitz.
Fair enough about Coventry. I think the main point still stands.
That the Tory party in 2016 didn’t just give the job to Boris with instructions to dole out £350m a week to the NHS has got to be one of the biggest rickets in party political history
And then what?
Boris' time as MoL does not bode well.
The person who tipped the balance in the campaign would have had the chance to take responsibility instead of the neither here or there nonsense we’ve had since
Again, I refer you to Boris' track record ...
Who has a good comparable record? At least he’s won a couple of mayoralties and the referendum.
As I say I can take him or leave him, but at least he has energy and ideas. And the 350m a week promise was a no brainer
Lets be fair, you used to argue with me that UKIP should get rid of Farage if they wanted to prosper... hardly a great track record of predictions
Why?
Who could say it was a lie on the side of a bus if he did it?
How are uncosted promises usually attacked in a general election?
Comments
And then you have to ask yourself what exactly will the Tory party look like in 5 years time..
https://twitter.com/khentekas/status/1117835206273187844
The PoW refurbishment project should take note. The second palace could easily befall the fate of the first during restoration.
I haven't been posting much recently as I am concentrating on getting my diabetes under control with weight loss and exercise. I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2009 and to date have not required medication but as is so often the case, I took liberties with bread, biscuits, chocolates, cakes and fizzy drinks and need to regain control. Have lost 1 stone in last three weeks so doing ok so far.
As for politics I have decided to let it all flow over me for a while, and while I do lurk from time to time, I am not posting as frequently but rest assured it is not because I am upset or out of sorts with anyone, it is just maybe time for a little rest
I have not gone away folks
Mercer a better bet.
*very
https://twitter.com/fraser_rush/status/1117838100393287680
Still a poignant Paris in flames motif..
If not a fresh faced Leaver like Cleverly might be possible
Boris' time as MoL does not bode well.
They had another chance to do the £350m thing in the June 2017 election. As, ahem, some of us on here were screaming for them to do. But that would have vindicated Boris, made hm the heir apparent - and that wouldn't do. Wouldn't do at all....
And when their choice is Boris ...
Hahahahahaha.
Ha.
Ha.
https://twitter.com/pzf/status/1117848969105645568
LOL, just about the one method of firefighting that could cause more problems that it would solve?
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1117844987293487104
Jesus, what an imbecile.
On a serious note that looks extremely bad. Can't see how they save anything east of the transepts in these pictures.
Devastating news to hear the spire has collapsed.
I hope you’re not serious. Desecration of such an iconic national monument would be a tragedy.
https://twitter.com/afneil/status/1117853532076404736
But the interior, the woodwork, the glass, possibly the bells...
It could easily be like a larger scale version of Coventry.
Edit - you also have to wonder, even if they can save the east end, how badly the organ will be damaged. Smoke, soot and electrical surges do not mix with delicate pipe work.
On topic for a moment, put bluntly, no.
There are three scenarios it seems to this non-Conservative observer - the "In Government" election, the "250" election and the "150" election.
If May steps down voluntarily (Cameron) or is forced from office (Thatcher) while the Conservatives remain in Government, it's much more likely the successor will come from the Cabinet so Hunt, Javid, Rudd perhaps?
The "250" election is when the Conservatives have lost power but only narrowly - they are a strong Opposition and it looks likely they will be out for only one term or less. Had such an event occurred in 1997 and for example Portillo had survived, would Hague have become leader from the position of Shadow Welsh Secretary? Seems improbable. Again you are looking at a youngish senior ex-Cabinet member who can re-invigorate the Party in a couple of years and take them back to power.
The "150" election is the 1997 scenario - the Conservatives have been given the dockside hooker treatment (to paraphrase Me Eagles) and a number of those who might have led the party have either fallen or realise that two terms minimum puts them out of the running. At that point even those in their late 40s among the survivors such as Tugendhat and Cleverly look unlikely. It's also worth mentioning Braintree was Labour from 1997 to 2005 there's no guarantee Cleverly would be among the survivors.
The obvious younger candidates to this observer are Kemi Badenoch and Rishi Sunak whose seats survived the 1997 purge and would likely survive again. Both would be a notable contrast to an ageing Labour frontbench and would be worth considering but only if returning to power looked like a 10-year project.
Would he have been organisationally superior in terms of long-term No Deal planning from the start? There's nothing in his background that suggests the methodical "putting the pieces in place" would have happened under his watch.
Would he have been more inclusive, in terms of reaching out across the House of Commons to assemble a coalition? Unlikely.
Would he have had the electoral disaster of 2016? Well, probably not. But that's a massive f*cking counterfactual.
Ultimately, the facts of negotiating with the EU would not have changed due to the presence of Boris on the team. Maybe he'd have had more red lines early on. Maybe he could have done a better job. But he is not a man with an eye for detail, and it seems more likely he would have handwaved something through, not realising its significance until later.
The only thing is, it isn't funny.
The Conservatives need a leader who all of them can at least speak with. I appreciate that limits the field considerably. They also need one that all of them can take seriously. That limits it further.
The Conservatives will probably choose a candidate who fails one or other of these tests, reasoning along the lines that Aaron Bell does. But for me it comes down to the same unpalatable choice between Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid and maybe Matthew Hancock.
The Conservatives need a leader who all of them can at least speak with. I appreciate that limits the field considerably. They also need one that all of them can take seriously. That limits it further.
The Conservatives will probably choose a candidate who fails one or other of these tests, reasoning along the lines that Aaron Bell does. But for me it comes down to the same unpalatable choice between Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid and maybe Matthew Hancock.
The Conservatives need a leader who all of them can at least speak with. I appreciate that limits the field considerably. They also need one that all of them can take seriously. That limits it further.
The Conservatives will probably choose a candidate who fails one or other of these tests, reasoning along the lines that Aaron Bell does. But for me it comes down to the same unpalatable choice between Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid and maybe Matthew Hancock.
Notre Dame is just heartbreaking.
There is a chance that the walls will not be structurally sound for the sort of weight they have to hold afterwards.
On the other hand, as I mentioned earlier, they magnificently restored York Minster's South Transept. Except they're sayingg the entire interior is ablaze.
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/research/research-round-up/research-spotlight/research-spotlight-low-calorie-liquid-diet
There are other useful positives for blood pressure, and arthritis too in such weight loss.
Keeping it off is the tough bit.
https://youtu.be/w6qYjisp51M
If it had been St Pauls the Brexit metaphors would be queuing round the block....
They've been trying to get repairs done for years, apparently the stonework was already in pretty rotten shape (perhaps inevitably given it's 900 years old).
A perfect example of the poor level of journalism generally and in particular on brexit
The French State owns the building (despite separation of church and state in 1905), so they can pay.
No expense should be spared for such an iconic building.
But if the interior is on fire...
But it's one thing protecting the interior from a fire in the wooden roof, and quite another to expect it to withstand the spire collapsing on it.
Would he ever just STFU .
As I say I can take him or leave him, but at least he has energy and ideas. And the 350m a week promise was a no brainer
Lets be fair, you used to argue with me that UKIP should get rid of Farage if they wanted to prosper... hardly a great track record of predictions
(With apologies to the person who memorably came up with that line about Richard Dawkins.)
A kg of fat is about 9000 Calories, so to lose 10kg* means consuming 1500 fewer Calories per day for 60 days. Abdominal fat is the bit that matters for diabetes, and waist at belly button level should be less than half of height is a simple metric.
*Initial weight loss is stored glycogen and water, so quicker.
I hope I'm being too pessimistic.
If something good can come out of this, it may be that we start to appreciate the marvellous architecture that surrounds us, and that we often take too much for granted.
Except Brutalist ...
I think your last paragraph is incorrect: I doubt that was me.
Exercise also really helps mental wellbeing: at least in my case.
The reports are that the interior has caught fire. Although hey also say that salvage is underway. Whether either or both are correct I don't know and I suspect we won't know before tomorrow.
Who could say it was a lie on the side of a bus if he did it?