So a national security adviser who knows zip about national security ! Should fit in well with the rest of the clueless lapdogs in the cabinet .
Did the incumbent?
Look at his past experience . Frost knows zip and is only there because he’s another gimp for Cummings to bang , just like the rest of the gimp cabinet .
He was a diplomat then a mandarin. Does that make someone an expert at national security? It in fact sounds a lot like Frost's background.
The NSA isn’t meant to be an expert. His job is to synthesise the reports from all the agencies, apply judgement, and brief the PM.
The top of the table is incredible (in a bad way). New cases today US 34 000, Brazil 28 000, India nearly 20 000. Usually sunday reporting is a bit lower than mid-week aswell.
Yep. And if you look at the overall charts, global cases and deaths are now heading into a new and second wave, accelerating again (after the initial, mainly European surge)
Perhaps more relevant to ask what the government's plan is, since they are the people actually in charge. I mean apart from the whole blue passports thing. Seriously, what is their plan?
To be fair to Mr Goodwin, he was really complaining about a lack of ideas from Remainers as opposed to Cummings, whose speech Gove delivered. Other tweet in thread.
Now, I wouldn't say the speech was rich in ideas. You have to wade through 40 numbered paragraphs before you get to the first one. I would say he has basically three ideas:
1. The vulnerable and left behind in society need government support. (This isn't an original idea, but it is an idea nevertheless). 2. Government should be measured against KPIs (good luck with that one! Brave.) 3. Government should adopt Agile/Fail Fast (Also brave)
The top of the table is incredible (in a bad way). New cases today US 34 000, Brazil 28 000, India nearly 20 000. Usually sunday reporting is a bit lower than mid-week aswell.
The 5% overall mortality is a pretty stark figure.
So Big G is back to supporting Johnson and the Tories then, no surprise there then, he's been looking for his excuse for weeks
Do you get your excitement by making silly posts
I am a conservative and support the party and that has not changed
I am critical of Boris as you well know
And Matthew Goodwin's tweet actually hits the nail on the head
Sorry Big-G but @Beibheirli_C's reply was the one that hit the nail on the head.
Not our project - don't expect Remainers to sort out the mess.
Well Goodwin's tweet has certainly rattled his target audience
Who's rattled? It's just another stupid Brexiteer attacking the 'liberal establishment' to distract from their own utter cluelessness. I don't expect anything else anymore, we've had four years of this boring culture war shit because they have nothing constructive to say. It's their job to tell us what the plan is. What is the plan?
To drive Britain's economy off a cliff, hoping we wont all notice as we are too busy fighting a cultural war and/or dealing with plague.
I used to think it was a kind of disaster capitalism conspiracy, to crash everything and create a kind of Uber Thatcherite hellhole out of the ashes. There may still be elements of that. But I increasingly think they actually have no idea what they're doing. The central people to the project - Gove, Johnson, Cummings, have no idea how the economy works. Johnson just wanted to become PM, Gove has an ingrained hatred of the EU because he thinks it was mean to his dad, and Cummings likes breaking things and owning the Libs. I've spoken to a lot of people in the world's of politics, finance and diplomacy, and not even the shadowy outline of a plan is visible. They're a joke.
I suspect the plan WAS to go for a more Singapore-y style UK, but coronavirus has made that impossible, for now.
To be fair to this often inept government, Who Knew we were gonna be hit by a once-in-a-century pandemic?
I'm sure it was *a* plan, but it's not a plan that would win 52 % in a national referendum. I used to live in uberBrexit Essex and now am in the Brexit Blue Wall. The people in those places didn't vote for low tax, low regulation. They voted (mainly) for more NHS money and (partially) fewer people coming in and spending that money.
And that's why Boris, Michael and Dom were snookered, before the virus struck. Because even a majority of 80 is insufficient to make the necessary changes; look at how Sunday trading loosening seems to have been dropped.
Singapore-on-Thames was always an enjoyable daydream for a certain sort of campaigner. But I don't think it was ever practical politics.
So Big G is back to supporting Johnson and the Tories then, no surprise there then, he's been looking for his excuse for weeks
Do you get your excitement by making silly posts
I am a conservative and support the party and that has not changed
I am critical of Boris as you well know
And Matthew Goodwin's tweet actually hits the nail on the head
Sorry Big-G but @Beibheirli_C's reply was the one that hit the nail on the head.
Not our project - don't expect Remainers to sort out the mess.
Well Goodwin's tweet has certainly rattled his target audience
Who's rattled? It's just another stupid Brexiteer attacking the 'liberal establishment' to distract from their own utter cluelessness. I don't expect anything else anymore, we've had four years of this boring culture war shit because they have nothing constructive to say. It's their job to tell us what the plan is. What is the plan?
To drive Britain's economy off a cliff, hoping we wont all notice as we are too busy fighting a cultural war and/or dealing with plague.
I used to think it was a kind of disaster capitalism conspiracy, to crash everything and create a kind of Uber Thatcherite hellhole out of the ashes. There may still be elements of that. But I increasingly think they actually have no idea what they're doing. The central people to the project - Gove, Johnson, Cummings, have no idea how the economy works. Johnson just wanted to become PM, Gove has an ingrained hatred of the EU because he thinks it was mean to his dad, and Cummings likes breaking things and owning the Libs. I've spoken to a lot of people in the world's of politics, finance and diplomacy, and not even the shadowy outline of a plan is visible. They're a joke.
I suspect the plan WAS to go for a more Singapore-y style UK, but coronavirus has made that impossible, for now.
To be fair to this often inept government, Who Knew we were gonna be hit by a once-in-a-century pandemic?
I'm sure it was *a* plan, but it's not a plan that would win 52 % in a national referendum. I used to live in uberBrexit Essex and now am in the Brexit Blue Wall. The people in those places didn't vote for low tax, low regulation. They voted (mainly) for more NHS money and (partially) fewer people coming in and spending that money.
And that's why Boris, Michael and Dom were snookered, before the virus struck. Because even a majority of 80 is insufficient to make the necessary changes; look at how Sunday trading loosening seems to have been dropped.
Singapore-on-Thames was always an enjoyable daydream for a certain sort of campaigner. But I don't think it was ever practical politics.
Is this guy really a Minister for the SNP??? His hatred just oozes. Extraordinary.
If this was in Westminster it would make headline news, I think
Except there's almost no interest in devolved politics in the main network news programmes or the UK-wide national newspapers. The occasional controversy achieves cut-through but the reality is that almost nobody in England who's not moved here from one of the devolved nations or has a very keen interest in politics would be able to name more than a small handful of devolved politicians. Sturgeon and Salmond are the obvious ones, some will be familiar with Arlene Foster and maybe one or two names like Gerry Adams from the peace process era. That's about it.
It's also why Nicola Sturgeon tends to poll well in GB-wide approval ratings - about 90% of the people being asked the questions don't know anything about her apart from her being in favour of independence for Scotland and, perhaps, that she comes across professionally on the television. They don't live in Scotland and are therefore unaffected by and almost entirely unaware of its Government's actions, and any of the successes or failures arising therefrom.
I'm not sure to what degree this ignorance is a cause of the gradual rotting away of the Union or a consequence thereof.
The population of Scotland is almost exactly the same as the population of Yorkshire. I suspect it gets more regional coverage than Yorkshire, and more national coverage too. Its politics is essentially regional and local from a UK point of view, just like where most of us live, in rather ignored parts of England.
Exactly, Essex has a quarter of the population of Scotland but how much coverage does Essex County Council get relative to Holyrood? Certainly less than 25% UK wide
In best Father Ted voice:
OK, one last time. This is a country… that one's a county. Country… county.
Essex was a Kingdom. Similar status to Scotland. I think you'll find.
And Colchester was part of the Roman Empire less than a couple of Millenia ago.
And it was part of a single European currency! Bring back the Denarii I say.
Is this guy really a Minister for the SNP??? His hatred just oozes. Extraordinary.
If this was in Westminster it would make headline news, I think
Except there's almost no interest in devolved politics in the main network news programmes or the UK-wide national newspapers. The occasional controversy achieves cut-through but the reality is that almost nobody in England who's not moved here from one of the devolved nations or has a very keen interest in politics would be able to name more than a small handful of devolved politicians. Sturgeon and Salmond are the obvious ones, some will be familiar with Arlene Foster and maybe one or two names like Gerry Adams from the peace process era. That's about it.
It's also why Nicola Sturgeon tends to poll well in GB-wide approval ratings - about 90% of the people being asked the questions don't know anything about her apart from her being in favour of independence for Scotland and, perhaps, that she comes across professionally on the television. They don't live in Scotland and are therefore unaffected by and almost entirely unaware of its Government's actions, and any of the successes or failures arising therefrom.
I'm not sure to what degree this ignorance is a cause of the gradual rotting away of the Union or a consequence thereof.
The population of Scotland is almost exactly the same as the population of Yorkshire. I suspect it gets more regional coverage than Yorkshire, and more national coverage too. Its politics is essentially regional and local from a UK point of view, just like where most of us live, in rather ignored parts of England.
Exactly, Essex has a quarter of the population of Scotland but how much coverage does Essex County Council get relative to Holyrood? Certainly less than 25% UK wide
In best Father Ted voice:
OK, one last time. This is a country… that one's a county. Country… county.
Essex was a Kingdom. Similar status to Scotland. I think you'll find.
And Colchester was part of the Roman Empire less than a couple of Millenia ago.
And it was part of a single European currency! Bring back the Denarii I say.
Right now I would happily vote to rejoin the Roman Empire.
Sensible policies, strong economy, proper funds for the army, nice wine from Falernum
Even I would accept EEA / EFTA and I have said so many times, but I suspect their ERG would choke on the breakfast kippers and eggy soldiers...
You say that like it would be a bad thing
Anything which adds to the ERG's discomfort would work for me Sadly, I suspect it is going to be the likes of me that is going to have the nightmare come true and the ERG will get what they desire.
Ironically, Marxism talks about tearing down the existing structures and building anew and seems to have no regard for fiscal policy or business sense ("F*ck business").
I wonder if Tory Maxism will be less lethal than Corbyn's?
Is this guy really a Minister for the SNP??? His hatred just oozes. Extraordinary.
If this was in Westminster it would make headline news, I think
Except there's almost no interest in devolved politics in the main network news programmes or the UK-wide national newspapers. The occasional controversy achieves cut-through but the reality is that almost nobody in England who's not moved here from one of the devolved nations or has a very keen interest in politics would be able to name more than a small handful of devolved politicians. Sturgeon and Salmond are the obvious ones, some will be familiar with Arlene Foster and maybe one or two names like Gerry Adams from the peace process era. That's about it.
It's also why Nicola Sturgeon tends to poll well in GB-wide approval ratings - about 90% of the people being asked the questions don't know anything about her apart from her being in favour of independence for Scotland and, perhaps, that she comes across professionally on the television. They don't live in Scotland and are therefore unaffected by and almost entirely unaware of its Government's actions, and any of the successes or failures arising therefrom.
I'm not sure to what degree this ignorance is a cause of the gradual rotting away of the Union or a consequence thereof.
The population of Scotland is almost exactly the same as the population of Yorkshire. I suspect it gets more regional coverage than Yorkshire, and more national coverage too. Its politics is essentially regional and local from a UK point of view, just like where most of us live, in rather ignored parts of England.
Exactly, Essex has a quarter of the population of Scotland but how much coverage does Essex County Council get relative to Holyrood? Certainly less than 25% UK wide
In best Father Ted voice:
OK, one last time. This is a country… that one's a county. Country… county.
Essex was a Kingdom. Similar status to Scotland. I think you'll find.
And Colchester was part of the Roman Empire less than a couple of Millenia ago.
The top of the table is incredible (in a bad way). New cases today US 34 000, Brazil 28 000, India nearly 20 000. Usually sunday reporting is a bit lower than mid-week aswell.
The 5% overall mortality is a pretty stark figure.
3. Government should adopt Agile/Fail Fast (Also brave)
What would the fail fast response to Brexit be, if not a decision to can it and choose another strategy?
Don't ask me. I'm not Cummings. Brexit isn't a sensible thing for the UK to do. The fact that we collectively voted for it (just) and most people (just) think we need to go through with it, doesn't stop Brexit being a big strategic mistake.
Is this guy really a Minister for the SNP??? His hatred just oozes. Extraordinary.
If this was in Westminster it would make headline news, I think
Except there's almost no interest in devolved politics in the main network news programmes or the UK-wide national newspapers. The occasional controversy achieves cut-through but the reality is that almost nobody in England who's not moved here from one of the devolved nations or has a very keen interest in politics would be able to name more than a small handful of devolved politicians. Sturgeon and Salmond are the obvious ones, some will be familiar with Arlene Foster and maybe one or two names like Gerry Adams from the peace process era. That's about it.
It's also why Nicola Sturgeon tends to poll well in GB-wide approval ratings - about 90% of the people being asked the questions don't know anything about her apart from her being in favour of independence for Scotland and, perhaps, that she comes across professionally on the television. They don't live in Scotland and are therefore unaffected by and almost entirely unaware of its Government's actions, and any of the successes or failures arising therefrom.
I'm not sure to what degree this ignorance is a cause of the gradual rotting away of the Union or a consequence thereof.
The population of Scotland is almost exactly the same as the population of Yorkshire. I suspect it gets more regional coverage than Yorkshire, and more national coverage too. Its politics is essentially regional and local from a UK point of view, just like where most of us live, in rather ignored parts of England.
Exactly, Essex has a quarter of the population of Scotland but how much coverage does Essex County Council get relative to Holyrood? Certainly less than 25% UK wide
In best Father Ted voice:
OK, one last time. This is a country… that one's a county. Country… county.
Essex was a Kingdom. Similar status to Scotland. I think you'll find.
This is a country that's currently in a union with other countries… that one's a county that a few reactionaries feel the need to lumber back 1200 years so they can call it a kingdom.
Scotland isn't in a union with England, because England has no independent political status. It's a centrally-run territory of the UK Government. Maybe Scotland should seek a more equitable settlement for England. We might respect them more for that.
Missed the bit where anyone required your respect.
A federal nation where four nations mutually respect each other seems like a good deal to me.
If only there was a way that a nation with 85% of the voters in the UK could bring that about.
I'd be very happy with a proper Federal UK, four equal nations, if it meant preserving the Union. Lots of my fellow Englishmen and women feel the same,
I am surprised that this is acceptable to you? Or are you just being a bit oblique?
It might have interested me 8 years ago, but subsequent behaviour settled all that hash for me. In any case 85% of UK voters are never going to get off their backsides to make it so.
The top of the table is incredible (in a bad way). New cases today US 34 000, Brazil 28 000, India nearly 20 000. Usually sunday reporting is a bit lower than mid-week aswell.
The 5% overall mortality is a pretty stark figure.
Yep, turns out not "just like flu" afterall
That is CFR not IFR, although I concur this is definitely not the flu
Is this guy really a Minister for the SNP??? His hatred just oozes. Extraordinary.
If this was in Westminster it would make headline news, I think
Except there's almost no interest in devolved politics in the main network news programmes or the UK-wide national newspapers. The occasional controversy achieves cut-through but the reality is that almost nobody in England who's not moved here from one of the devolved nations or has a very keen interest in politics would be able to name more than a small handful of devolved politicians. Sturgeon and Salmond are the obvious ones, some will be familiar with Arlene Foster and maybe one or two names like Gerry Adams from the peace process era. That's about it.
It's also why Nicola Sturgeon tends to poll well in GB-wide approval ratings - about 90% of the people being asked the questions don't know anything about her apart from her being in favour of independence for Scotland and, perhaps, that she comes across professionally on the television. They don't live in Scotland and are therefore unaffected by and almost entirely unaware of its Government's actions, and any of the successes or failures arising therefrom.
I'm not sure to what degree this ignorance is a cause of the gradual rotting away of the Union or a consequence thereof.
The population of Scotland is almost exactly the same as the population of Yorkshire. I suspect it gets more regional coverage than Yorkshire, and more national coverage too. Its politics is essentially regional and local from a UK point of view, just like where most of us live, in rather ignored parts of England.
Exactly, Essex has a quarter of the population of Scotland but how much coverage does Essex County Council get relative to Holyrood? Certainly less than 25% UK wide
In best Father Ted voice:
OK, one last time. This is a country… that one's a county. Country… county.
Essex was a Kingdom. Similar status to Scotland. I think you'll find.
This is a country that's currently in a union with other countries… that one's a county that a few reactionaries feel the need to lumber back 1200 years so they can call it a kingdom.
Scotland isn't in a union with England, because England has no independent political status. It's a centrally-run territory of the UK Government. Maybe Scotland should seek a more equitable settlement for England. We might respect them more for that.
Missed the bit where anyone required your respect.
A federal nation where four nations mutually respect each other seems like a good deal to me.
If only there was a way that a nation with 85% of the voters in the UK could bring that about.
I'd be very happy with a proper Federal UK, four equal nations, if it meant preserving the Union. Lots of my fellow Englishmen and women feel the same,
I am surprised that this is acceptable to you? Or are you just being a bit oblique?
It might of interested me 8 years ago, but subsequent behaviour settled all that hash for me. In any case 85% of UK voters are never going to get off their backsides to make it so.
I agree it's a damn shame that English politicians aren't more imaginative in dealing with Scotland: all this pain could have been avoided with a proper Federal Settlement
Now Scotland looks like facing a terrible binary choice, where one side or the other will be violently aggrieved for a long long time; it will be like Brexit times 20 in a kilt.
My guess, and it is only a guess, is that Scotland will be like Quebec or Catalonia, never quite making the final leap, but therefore permanently thorny and roiled.
Maybe a skilful politician will guide us out, somehow.
So a national security adviser who knows zip about national security ! Should fit in well with the rest of the clueless lapdogs in the cabinet .
Did the incumbent?
Look at his past experience . Frost knows zip and is only there because he’s another gimp for Cummings to bang , just like the rest of the gimp cabinet .
He was a diplomat then a mandarin. Does that make someone an expert at national security? It in fact sounds a lot like Frost's background.
The NSA isn’t meant to be an expert. His job is to synthesise the reports from all the agencies, apply judgement, and brief the PM.
So a national security adviser who knows zip about national security ! Should fit in well with the rest of the clueless lapdogs in the cabinet .
Did the incumbent?
Look at his past experience . Frost knows zip and is only there because he’s another gimp for Cummings to bang , just like the rest of the gimp cabinet .
He was a diplomat then a mandarin. Does that make someone an expert at national security? It in fact sounds a lot like Frost's background.
The NSA isn’t meant to be an expert. His job is to synthesise the reports from all the agencies, apply judgement, and brief the PM.
I have highlighted the weak spot...
I don’t know David Frost. Do you? On what basis are you saying he has poor judgement?
"It didn’t help that David, who died on Sunday aged 69, had once said of Hitler: “His overall objective was very good, and he was a marvellous morale booster. I mean, he was a perfect figurehead.”"
So a national security adviser who knows zip about national security ! Should fit in well with the rest of the clueless lapdogs in the cabinet .
Did the incumbent?
Look at his past experience . Frost knows zip and is only there because he’s another gimp for Cummings to bang , just like the rest of the gimp cabinet .
He was a diplomat then a mandarin. Does that make someone an expert at national security? It in fact sounds a lot like Frost's background.
The NSA isn’t meant to be an expert. His job is to synthesise the reports from all the agencies, apply judgement, and brief the PM.
I have highlighted the weak spot...
I don’t know David Frost. Do you? On what basis are you saying he has poor judgement?
On the basis that Boris does not appear to promote talent. He promotes loyalists. Also Mr Cummings does not appear to tolerate original thought either.
Mr Frost may or may not have good judgement, but I will be amazed if he is allowed to apply it....
"It didn’t help that David, who died on Sunday aged 69, had once said of Hitler: “His overall objective was very good, and he was a marvellous morale booster. I mean, he was a perfect figurehead.”"
For all that I'm not the target audience, it's hard to see who that photo is meant to impress.
Dance monkey, dance...
The target audience is those saying Boris has been debilitated by Covid, time to resign/be retired. You know, the Boris that delivered Brexit and an 80-seat Tory majority in December. Hard to think why that target audience would want to see him leave the stage....
Fine. Picture him jogging, or playing tennis. He likes tennis, doesn't he?
But this photo is just humiliating. An enormous @rse, so to speak.
I think it's because there is a 25 press up a day challenge going round social media media
Is this guy really a Minister for the SNP??? His hatred just oozes. Extraordinary.
If this was in Westminster it would make headline news, I think
Except there's almost no interest in devolved politics in the main network news programmes or the UK-wide national newspapers. The occasional controversy achieves cut-through but the reality is that almost nobody in England who's not moved here from one of the devolved nations or has a very keen interest in politics would be able to name more than a small handful of devolved politicians. Sturgeon and Salmond are the obvious ones, some will be familiar with Arlene Foster and maybe one or two names like Gerry Adams from the peace process era. That's about it.
It's also why Nicola Sturgeon tends to poll well in GB-wide approval ratings - about 90% of the people being asked the questions don't know anything about her apart from her being in favour of independence for Scotland and, perhaps, that she comes across professionally on the television. They don't live in Scotland and are therefore unaffected by and almost entirely unaware of its Government's actions, and any of the successes or failures arising therefrom.
I'm not sure to what degree this ignorance is a cause of the gradual rotting away of the Union or a consequence thereof.
The population of Scotland is almost exactly the same as the population of Yorkshire. I suspect it gets more regional coverage than Yorkshire, and more national coverage too. Its politics is essentially regional and local from a UK point of view, just like where most of us live, in rather ignored parts of England.
Exactly, Essex has a quarter of the population of Scotland but how much coverage does Essex County Council get relative to Holyrood? Certainly less than 25% UK wide
In best Father Ted voice:
OK, one last time. This is a country… that one's a county. Country… county.
Essex was a Kingdom. Similar status to Scotland. I think you'll find.
This is a country that's currently in a union with other countries… that one's a county that a few reactionaries feel the need to lumber back 1200 years so they can call it a kingdom.
Scotland isn't in a union with England, because England has no independent political status. It's a centrally-run territory of the UK Government. Maybe Scotland should seek a more equitable settlement for England. We might respect them more for that.
Missed the bit where anyone required your respect.
A federal nation where four nations mutually respect each other seems like a good deal to me.
If only there was a way that a nation with 85% of the voters in the UK could bring that about.
I'd be very happy with a proper Federal UK, four equal nations, if it meant preserving the Union. Lots of my fellow Englishmen and women feel the same,
I am surprised that this is acceptable to you? Or are you just being a bit oblique?
It might have interested me 8 years ago, but subsequent behaviour settled all that hash for me. In any case 85% of UK voters are never going to get off their backsides to make it so.
If Labour put it in their manifesto and win the next GE, I guess they would have got off their backsides to make it so.
For all that I'm not the target audience, it's hard to see who that photo is meant to impress.
Dance monkey, dance...
The target audience is those saying Boris has been debilitated by Covid, time to resign/be retired. You know, the Boris that delivered Brexit and an 80-seat Tory majority in December. Hard to think why that target audience would want to see him leave the stage....
Fine. Picture him jogging, or playing tennis. He likes tennis, doesn't he?
But this photo is just humiliating. An enormous @rse, so to speak.
I think it's because there is a 25 press up a day challenge going round social media media
If they're going to get him doing social media crazes, they should make him do "put a finger down, politician edition."
Well, they needn't worry. If only we *could* return to a pre-pandemic economy.
Instead we are going to be significantly poorer for a very long time, with half our high streets shuttered and many offices deserted, with major unemployment and some social unrest guaranteed.
In addition, there is a non-trivial risk that all this, happening globally, will spiral out of control into major wars, famines and revolutions.
Is this guy really a Minister for the SNP??? His hatred just oozes. Extraordinary.
If this was in Westminster it would make headline news, I think
Except there's almost no interest in devolved politics in the main network news programmes or the UK-wide national newspapers. The occasional controversy achieves cut-through but the reality is that almost nobody in England who's not moved here from one of the devolved nations or has a very keen interest in politics would be able to name more than a small handful of devolved politicians. Sturgeon and Salmond are the obvious ones, some will be familiar with Arlene Foster and maybe one or two names like Gerry Adams from the peace process era. That's about it.
It's also why Nicola Sturgeon tends to poll well in GB-wide approval ratings - about 90% of the people being asked the questions don't know anything about her apart from her being in favour of independence for Scotland and, perhaps, that she comes across professionally on the television. They don't live in Scotland and are therefore unaffected by and almost entirely unaware of its Government's actions, and any of the successes or failures arising therefrom.
I'm not sure to what degree this ignorance is a cause of the gradual rotting away of the Union or a consequence thereof.
The population of Scotland is almost exactly the same as the population of Yorkshire. I suspect it gets more regional coverage than Yorkshire, and more national coverage too. Its politics is essentially regional and local from a UK point of view, just like where most of us live, in rather ignored parts of England.
Exactly, Essex has a quarter of the population of Scotland but how much coverage does Essex County Council get relative to Holyrood? Certainly less than 25% UK wide
In best Father Ted voice:
OK, one last time. This is a country… that one's a county. Country… county.
Essex was a Kingdom. Similar status to Scotland. I think you'll find.
This is a country that's currently in a union with other countries… that one's a county that a few reactionaries feel the need to lumber back 1200 years so they can call it a kingdom.
Scotland isn't in a union with England, because England has no independent political status. It's a centrally-run territory of the UK Government. Maybe Scotland should seek a more equitable settlement for England. We might respect them more for that.
Missed the bit where anyone required your respect.
A federal nation where four nations mutually respect each other seems like a good deal to me.
If only there was a way that a nation with 85% of the voters in the UK could bring that about.
I'd be very happy with a proper Federal UK, four equal nations, if it meant preserving the Union. Lots of my fellow Englishmen and women feel the same,
I am surprised that this is acceptable to you? Or are you just being a bit oblique?
It might have interested me 8 years ago, but subsequent behaviour settled all that hash for me. In any case 85% of UK voters are never going to get off their backsides to make it so.
If Labour put it in their manifesto and win the next GE, I guess they would have got off their backsides to make it so.
There is absolutely no indication the Labour party would ever go down that route. What they call federalism is just "nations and regions" devolution.
Is this guy really a Minister for the SNP??? His hatred just oozes. Extraordinary.
If this was in Westminster it would make headline news, I think
Except there's almost no interest in devolved politics in the main network news programmes or the UK-wide national newspapers. The occasional controversy achieves cut-through but the reality is that almost nobody in England who's not moved here from one of the devolved nations or has a very keen interest in politics would be able to name more than a small handful of devolved politicians. Sturgeon and Salmond are the obvious ones, some will be familiar with Arlene Foster and maybe one or two names like Gerry Adams from the peace process era. That's about it.
It's also why Nicola Sturgeon tends to poll well in GB-wide approval ratings - about 90% of the people being asked the questions don't know anything about her apart from her being in favour of independence for Scotland and, perhaps, that she comes across professionally on the television. They don't live in Scotland and are therefore unaffected by and almost entirely unaware of its Government's actions, and any of the successes or failures arising therefrom.
I'm not sure to what degree this ignorance is a cause of the gradual rotting away of the Union or a consequence thereof.
The population of Scotland is almost exactly the same as the population of Yorkshire. I suspect it gets more regional coverage than Yorkshire, and more national coverage too. Its politics is essentially regional and local from a UK point of view, just like where most of us live, in rather ignored parts of England.
Exactly, Essex has a quarter of the population of Scotland but how much coverage does Essex County Council get relative to Holyrood? Certainly less than 25% UK wide
In best Father Ted voice:
OK, one last time. This is a country… that one's a county. Country… county.
Essex was a Kingdom. Similar status to Scotland. I think you'll find.
This is a country that's currently in a union with other countries… that one's a county that a few reactionaries feel the need to lumber back 1200 years so they can call it a kingdom.
Scotland isn't in a union with England, because England has no independent political status. It's a centrally-run territory of the UK Government. Maybe Scotland should seek a more equitable settlement for England. We might respect them more for that.
Missed the bit where anyone required your respect.
A federal nation where four nations mutually respect each other seems like a good deal to me.
If only there was a way that a nation with 85% of the voters in the UK could bring that about.
I'd be very happy with a proper Federal UK, four equal nations, if it meant preserving the Union. Lots of my fellow Englishmen and women feel the same,
I am surprised that this is acceptable to you? Or are you just being a bit oblique?
It might have interested me 8 years ago, but subsequent behaviour settled all that hash for me. In any case 85% of UK voters are never going to get off their backsides to make it so.
If Labour put it in their manifesto and win the next GE, I guess they would have got off their backsides to make it so.
There is absolutely no indication the Labour party would ever go down that route. What they call federalism is just "nations and regions" devolution.
Sadly, yes. Labour is too scared of releasing the English genie. They worry that an English parliament would rarely if ever elect a Labour government. Hence their "English regions" bullshit, as a diversion
A Tory government needs to do Federalism, if it is ever to happen
On-topic: the implied probability at Betfair for Trump winning the election has fallen below a third.
Recent statements from three Republican senators:
* Marco Rubio (Florida): "everyone should just wear a damn mask";
* Lamar Alexander (chair of Senate health committee): "it would help if from time to time the President would wear one";
* Mitchell McConnell (Senate majority chair): "until we find a vaccine, [masks] are really important"... "[at] various events, people are not wearing masks [and are] not doing others a favour".
Re David Bowie, though not a huge fan do recognize he was a genius - "Space Oddity" alone proves that fact.
As for his politics, don't really care, same as with most artists, unless they go out of the way to make political/social statements with their music, for example Johnny Cash, the Man in Black for a reason.
As for his statement re: Hitler, the Fuhrer's basic GOALS may be deemed good, in sense that he strove for long-term happy future for his country and the world - problem was his evil methods, namely totalitarianism, antisemitism, conquest & genocide just to mention a few. And Adolf certainly was one hell (in more ways than one) of a motivational speaker and iconic figurehead.
Could be wrong, but methinks Bowie was approaching this from an artistic perspective (just like his wardrobe choices) and not thinking overmuch about the politics, history or morality of Hitler's foul deeds and legacy.
The top of the table is incredible (in a bad way). New cases today US 34 000, Brazil 28 000, India nearly 20 000. Usually sunday reporting is a bit lower than mid-week aswell.
Yep. And if you look at the overall charts, global cases and deaths are now heading into a new and second wave, accelerating again (after the initial, mainly European surge)
I think people are still in two minds over the epidemic. They don't want a second wave, but it is so easy for them to slip back into "normal" behaviour. I visited a McDonald's restaurant today. Yes things were not normal, but they were tantalizingly close to being normal. Many people are still expecting things to go back to normal "soon".
Yet on Andrew Marr today, Sir Jeremy Farrar said that the virus has not lost any of its potency. He implied that we could wait for 1 year, 100 years or 200 years, and the virus would still be just as infectious and dangerous.
Waiting will change nothing except to exhaust people's patience, causing society to gradually give up on the lockdown. The epidemic will not wait for a vaccine to arrive. If a vaccine does not arrive by the end of 2021, it could be too late as herd immunity will be approaching by then in some countries.
The top of the table is incredible (in a bad way). New cases today US 34 000, Brazil 28 000, India nearly 20 000. Usually sunday reporting is a bit lower than mid-week aswell.
Yep. And if you look at the overall charts, global cases and deaths are now heading into a new and second wave, accelerating again (after the initial, mainly European surge)
I think people are still in two minds over the epidemic. They don't want a second wave, but it is so easy for them to slip back into "normal" behaviour. I visited a McDonald's restaurant today. Yes things were not normal, but they were tantalizingly close to being normal. Many people are still expecting things to go back to normal "soon".
Yet on Andrew Marr today, Sir Jeremy Farrar said that the virus has not lost any of its potency. He implied that we could wait for 1 year, 100 years or 200 years, and the virus would still be just as infectious and dangerous.
Waiting will change nothing except to exhaust people's patience, causing society to gradually give up on the lockdown. The epidemic will not wait for a vaccine to arrive. If a vaccine does not arrive by the end of 2021, it could be too late as herd immunity will be approaching by then in some countries.
I spoke to a designer friend today. She is artistic and clever, if a bit ditzy. She told me, simply, "Well, it's gone away now, hasn't it, have you heard of anyone catching it?"
The top of the table is incredible (in a bad way). New cases today US 34 000, Brazil 28 000, India nearly 20 000. Usually sunday reporting is a bit lower than mid-week aswell.
Yep. And if you look at the overall charts, global cases and deaths are now heading into a new and second wave, accelerating again (after the initial, mainly European surge)
I think people are still in two minds over the epidemic. They don't want a second wave, but it is so easy for them to slip back into "normal" behaviour. I visited a McDonald's restaurant today. Yes things were not normal, but they were tantalizingly close to being normal. Many people are still expecting things to go back to normal "soon".
Yet on Andrew Marr today, Sir Jeremy Farrar said that the virus has not lost any of its potency. He implied that we could wait for 1 year, 100 years or 200 years, and the virus would still be just as infectious and dangerous.
Waiting will change nothing except to exhaust people's patience, causing society to gradually give up on the lockdown. The epidemic will not wait for a vaccine to arrive. If a vaccine does not arrive by the end of 2021, it could be too late as herd immunity will be approaching by then in some countries.
This is another failure of the British messaging, the Japanese is explicitly about the "new lifestyle" of "with corona".
You can't do everything exactly the way you were before, but you also don't need massively disruption. Britain has had massive disruption because it failed to make the less disruptive changes that could have stopped the disease early on. Because its government is so astonishingly shit, there's a good chance it's now going to fail to make them again, then do the massive disruption again.
For comparison, on the worst day of the outbreak in the UK, we recorded 8,600 cases, and then it fell away quite steeply. Florida is still going up fast.
A disaster is potentially unfolding there
I wonder if it's too late for Trump to get behind masks. Perhaps if they were red masks, with Make America Great Again on them.
I'm really not clear on the right wing objection to masks. You protect yourself with a gun, why not protect yourself with a mask? It has the added benefit of stopping the deep state from applying facial recognition software on you successfully. Lockdown - I completely see the objection to. Masks, not so much.
Indeed: especially as masks dramatically reduce the risk of needing lockdown.
Having thought about this, I think there are two reasons Trump hates masks:
1. It reminds him there is a problem. He's a massive fan of the Power of Positive Thinking (the book), and it has over the years worked for him. Wearing a mask goes against this, because it is in effect negative speech.
2. He's a bit vain. He thinks he looks good, and he thinks he'd look less good (and more scared) in a mask. And if he's not going to wear a mask, other people shouldn't either.
But it's also dumb. Modest mask etiquette reduces R substantially.
Masks are hugely uncomfortable, and a very significant social barrier.
I only wear them in close proximity environments in public (like trains or the tube) and I possibly would in a busy office too.
Otherwise, it's a rather dystopian placebo.
They are not great for people who are deaf and need to lip read nor for those with asthma.
"It didn’t help that David, who died on Sunday aged 69, had once said of Hitler: “His overall objective was very good, and he was a marvellous morale booster. I mean, he was a perfect figurehead.”"
"It didn’t help that David, who died on Sunday aged 69, had once said of Hitler: “His overall objective was very good, and he was a marvellous morale booster. I mean, he was a perfect figurehead.”"
You’ll be the first to appreciate the pernicious effects of heroic drug intake.
As a reclusive sapphic painter of gentle amphibian life, I assure I have never ingested anything more exotic than a pinch of snuff, sniffed from the proffered and delicate hand of a vivacious Slovak ballet dancer
For all that I'm not the target audience, it's hard to see who that photo is meant to impress.
Dance monkey, dance...
The target audience is those saying Boris has been debilitated by Covid, time to resign/be retired. You know, the Boris that delivered Brexit and an 80-seat Tory majority in December. Hard to think why that target audience would want to see him leave the stage....
Fine. Picture him jogging, or playing tennis. He likes tennis, doesn't he?
But this photo is just humiliating. An enormous @rse, so to speak.
There’s a pretty filthy joke comes to mind on seeing that image.
For all that I'm not the target audience, it's hard to see who that photo is meant to impress.
Dance monkey, dance...
The target audience is those saying Boris has been debilitated by Covid, time to resign/be retired. You know, the Boris that delivered Brexit and an 80-seat Tory majority in December. Hard to think why that target audience would want to see him leave the stage....
Fine. Picture him jogging, or playing tennis. He likes tennis, doesn't he?
But this photo is just humiliating. An enormous @rse, so to speak.
There’s a pretty filthy joke comes to mind on seeing that image.
"It didn’t help that David, who died on Sunday aged 69, had once said of Hitler: “His overall objective was very good, and he was a marvellous morale booster. I mean, he was a perfect figurehead.”"
You’ll be the first to appreciate the pernicious effects of heroic drug intake.
As a reclusive sapphic painter of gentle amphibian life, I assure I have never ingested anything more exotic than a pinch of snuff, sniffed from the proffered and delicate hand of a vivacious Slovak ballet dancer
For all that I'm not the target audience, it's hard to see who that photo is meant to impress.
Dance monkey, dance...
The target audience is those saying Boris has been debilitated by Covid, time to resign/be retired. You know, the Boris that delivered Brexit and an 80-seat Tory majority in December. Hard to think why that target audience would want to see him leave the stage....
Fine. Picture him jogging, or playing tennis. He likes tennis, doesn't he?
But this photo is just humiliating. An enormous @rse, so to speak.
There’s a pretty filthy joke comes to mind on seeing that image.
For all that I'm not the target audience, it's hard to see who that photo is meant to impress.
Dance monkey, dance...
The target audience is those saying Boris has been debilitated by Covid, time to resign/be retired. You know, the Boris that delivered Brexit and an 80-seat Tory majority in December. Hard to think why that target audience would want to see him leave the stage....
Fine. Picture him jogging, or playing tennis. He likes tennis, doesn't he?
But this photo is just humiliating. An enormous @rse, so to speak.
There’s a pretty filthy joke comes to mind on seeing that image.
"It didn’t help that David, who died on Sunday aged 69, had once said of Hitler: “His overall objective was very good, and he was a marvellous morale booster. I mean, he was a perfect figurehead.”"
You’ll be the first to appreciate the pernicious effects of heroic drug intake.
As a reclusive sapphic painter of gentle amphibian life, I assure I have never ingested anything more exotic than a pinch of snuff, sniffed from the proffered and delicate hand of a vivacious Slovak ballet dancer
Is this guy really a Minister for the SNP??? His hatred just oozes. Extraordinary.
If this was in Westminster it would make headline news, I think
Except there's almost no interest in devolved politics in the main network news programmes or the UK-wide national newspapers. The occasional controversy achieves cut-through but the reality is that almost nobody in England who's not moved here from one of the devolved nations or has a very keen interest in politics would be able to name more than a small handful of devolved politicians. Sturgeon and Salmond are the obvious ones, some will be familiar with Arlene Foster and maybe one or two names like Gerry Adams from the peace process era. That's about it.
It's also why Nicola Sturgeon tends to poll well in GB-wide approval ratings - about 90% of the people being asked the questions don't know anything about her apart from her being in favour of independence for Scotland and, perhaps, that she comes across professionally on the television. They don't live in Scotland and are therefore unaffected by and almost entirely unaware of its Government's actions, and any of the successes or failures arising therefrom.
I'm not sure to what degree this ignorance is a cause of the gradual rotting away of the Union or a consequence thereof.
The population of Scotland is almost exactly the same as the population of Yorkshire. I suspect it gets more regional coverage than Yorkshire, and more national coverage too. Its politics is essentially regional and local from a UK point of view, just like where most of us live, in rather ignored parts of England.
Exactly, Essex has a quarter of the population of Scotland but how much coverage does Essex County Council get relative to Holyrood? Certainly less than 25% UK wide
In best Father Ted voice:
OK, one last time. This is a country… that one's a county. Country… county.
Essex was a Kingdom. Similar status to Scotland. I think you'll find.
This is a country that's currently in a union with other countries… that one's a county that a few reactionaries feel the need to lumber back 1200 years so they can call it a kingdom.
Scotland isn't in a union with England, because England has no independent political status. It's a centrally-run territory of the UK Government. Maybe Scotland should seek a more equitable settlement for England. We might respect them more for that.
Not sure who "we" is, but I don't know a single Englishman that doesn't want an independent Scotland.
Good luck and good riddance
I have sometimes thought that declaring English independence would be a good move. It certainly makes Northern Ireland someone else's problem.
I fear that many things remain a problem even after they are excised or voluntarily leave one nation.
It's a ridiculous attitude to hold that willfully ignores the point of the service. If they feel it is not adequately working toward the programmes of government - something I suspect many would have sympathy for - that is an issue which can reasonably be complained about and resolutions sought, but requiring proof of a political stance equivalent to a blood oath of loyalty is not only dumb, but malevolent.
I remember Trump saying it was all ok and his decisive action had avoided an outbreak ..... hows that working out Trumpy?
For balance, the US death toll so far today is the lowest since late March?
But deaths are a lagging indicator, of course, and the rapid increase in cases and hospitalisations in Az, Ca, Tx, likely means a new surge in deaths a week or two down the line - unless treatments really are improving superbly
So a national security adviser who knows zip about national security ! Should fit in well with the rest of the clueless lapdogs in the cabinet .
Did the incumbent?
Look at his past experience . Frost knows zip and is only there because he’s another gimp for Cummings to bang , just like the rest of the gimp cabinet .
He was a diplomat then a mandarin. Does that make someone an expert at national security? It in fact sounds a lot like Frost's background.
The NSA isn’t meant to be an expert. His job is to synthesise the reports from all the agencies, apply judgement, and brief the PM.
He’s not meant to be an ignoramus on the topic either. Why would his judgment on such a sensitive area be worth listening to? And, no I don’t know him but I did read his speech on Britain’s approach to a deal with the EU and it struck me as so much piss and wind.
One thing to bear in mind is that the Surrey satellite proposal was *hated* by the big UK aerospace contractors. If you start by reducing costs by billions, where would such things end?
Is this satire? Surrey Satellites is 100% owned and operated by Airbus Defence & Space. They are not exactly the plucky disruptive outsiders you paint them to be.
Re David Bowie, though not a huge fan do recognize he was a genius - "Space Oddity" alone proves that fact.
As for his politics, don't really care, same as with most artists, unless they go out of the way to make political/social statements with their music, for example Johnny Cash, the Man in Black for a reason.
As for his statement re: Hitler, the Fuhrer's basic GOALS may be deemed good, in sense that he strove for long-term happy future for his country and the world - problem was his evil methods, namely totalitarianism, antisemitism, conquest & genocide just to mention a few. And Adolf certainly was one hell (in more ways than one) of a motivational speaker and iconic figurehead.
Could be wrong, but methinks Bowie was approaching this from an artistic perspective (just like his wardrobe choices) and not thinking overmuch about the politics, history or morality of Hitler's foul deeds and legacy.
I have a different take on Bowie/Hitler. Hitler was all kinds of awful, but his (probably only) redeeming quality was his candidness. He was never shy about his intentions. The title of his personal manifesto tells us, that his - and by extension and projection 'his' peoples' - eternal struggle was his Leitmotif. From the very beginning to the bitter end. I feel that this element of eternal unrest might have somehow resonated with Bowie's undying desire to leave the latest shell he had built and reinvent himself once more.
Hitler's "GOAL" - after having the won the ultimate struggle - was the idea of a 'master race' living off the subjugation, and ultimately enslavement, of 'lesser races'. I'm not sure that can seriously be considered to be good.
Well, they needn't worry. If only we *could* return to a pre-pandemic economy.
Instead we are going to be significantly poorer for a very long time, with half our high streets shuttered and many offices deserted, with major unemployment and some social unrest guaranteed.
In addition, there is a non-trivial risk that all this, happening globally, will spiral out of control into major wars, famines and revolutions.
There are some upsides as well as downsides. My young lady hasn't been to her office since March, and therefore has saved a small fortune in commuting costs with almost no downside. She'd like the world to go back to normal in lots of ways, but I don't think she's in any hurry to go back to commuting - so that means she probably isn't part of that 6%. Longer term, if we marry one of us would have had to give up our jobs (We live167 miles apart) - as things stand, I think she might well be able to get it agreed that she can work remotely on a permanent basis.
Of course this isn't the same as saying no to "would you could rerun 2020 without covid, if you could?" Things are undoubtedly worse now than they were before in many ways - but with some of the changes being for the better, I hope some of those changes stick around.
Re David Bowie, though not a huge fan do recognize he was a genius - "Space Oddity" alone proves that fact.
As for his politics, don't really care, same as with most artists, unless they go out of the way to make political/social statements with their music, for example Johnny Cash, the Man in Black for a reason.
As for his statement re: Hitler, the Fuhrer's basic GOALS may be deemed good, in sense that he strove for long-term happy future for his country and the world - problem was his evil methods, namely totalitarianism, antisemitism, conquest & genocide just to mention a few. And Adolf certainly was one hell (in more ways than one) of a motivational speaker and iconic figurehead.
Could be wrong, but methinks Bowie was approaching this from an artistic perspective (just like his wardrobe choices) and not thinking overmuch about the politics, history or morality of Hitler's foul deeds and legacy.
I have a different take on Bowie/Hitler. Hitler was all kinds of awful, but his (probably only) redeeming quality was his candidness. He was never shy about his intentions. The title of his personal manifesto tells us, that his - and by extension and projection 'his' peoples' - eternal struggle was his Leitmotif. From the very beginning to the bitter end. I feel that this element of eternal unrest might have somehow resonated with Bowie's undying desire to leave the latest shell he had built and reinvent himself once more.
Hitler's "GOAL" - after having the won the ultimate struggle - was the idea of a 'master race' living off the subjugation, and ultimately enslavement, of 'lesser races'. I'm not sure that can seriously be considered to be good.
Your right about master race & untermenschen, but then AH thought THAT was the way to human happiness - you & yours truly beg to differ.
As for his candidness, note that English translation of Mein Kampf as authorized by the author was CAREFUL edited and matter deemed too unsettling for Anglo-American readers was omitted when others - including future US Senator Alan Cranston (D-CA) attempted to publish the whole hog over here, AH sued them in American courts for copywrite infringement - and won. Also, it's interesting that no direct order by Hitler to kill all the Jews has ever been found - which was certainly NOT candid. And doubt that Chamberlain or Churchill would agree with you on this point, as well as Mussolini and Stalin (the original Uncle Joe).
I’m on an iPhone using Safari and on the Vanilla site Tweets have become unreadable as the last few letters on each row are cut off.
Great new feature: please don’t get rid of it...
Edited for missing words (ironically).
I find the PB.com site unusable on the iPhone due to characters being lopped off the right-hand side of the screen. I struggle to understand why a WordPress templated website doesn't work properly on an iPhone these days.
I get posts chopped by 1 character but on the left. Have done for several months now. Same on Chrome and Firefox. Use Moto G7
Same here with a different Android phone. Happens with both Firefox and Chrome. The chop is about 2/3 of the first character which is quite annoying!
I use Opera on an android (Pixel 3a), hitting "show desktop site" cures the problem with the cut off text.
The comments don't load at all on the new mobile site.
"It didn’t help that David, who died on Sunday aged 69, had once said of Hitler: “His overall objective was very good, and he was a marvellous morale booster. I mean, he was a perfect figurehead.”"
You’ll be the first to appreciate the pernicious effects of heroic drug intake.
As a reclusive sapphic painter of gentle amphibian life, I assure I have never ingested anything more exotic than a pinch of snuff, sniffed from the proffered and delicate hand of a vivacious Slovak ballet dancer
Precisely.
Having met a few Slovak chicks in my day, can testify that their small homeland produces more than it's fair share of attractive, charming & talented women.
Re David Bowie, though not a huge fan do recognize he was a genius - "Space Oddity" alone proves that fact.
As for his politics, don't really care, same as with most artists, unless they go out of the way to make political/social statements with their music, for example Johnny Cash, the Man in Black for a reason.
As for his statement re: Hitler, the Fuhrer's basic GOALS may be deemed good, in sense that he strove for long-term happy future for his country and the world - problem was his evil methods, namely totalitarianism, antisemitism, conquest & genocide just to mention a few. And Adolf certainly was one hell (in more ways than one) of a motivational speaker and iconic figurehead.
Could be wrong, but methinks Bowie was approaching this from an artistic perspective (just like his wardrobe choices) and not thinking overmuch about the politics, history or morality of Hitler's foul deeds and legacy.
I have a different take on Bowie/Hitler. Hitler was all kinds of awful, but his (probably only) redeeming quality was his candidness. He was never shy about his intentions. The title of his personal manifesto tells us, that his - and by extension and projection 'his' peoples' - eternal struggle was his Leitmotif. From the very beginning to the bitter end. I feel that this element of eternal unrest might have somehow resonated with Bowie's undying desire to leave the latest shell he had built and reinvent himself once more.
Hitler's "GOAL" - after having the won the ultimate struggle - was the idea of a 'master race' living off the subjugation, and ultimately enslavement, of 'lesser races'. I'm not sure that can seriously be considered to be good.
Your right about master race & untermenschen, but then AH thought THAT was the way to human happiness - you & yours truly beg to differ.
As for his candidness, note that English translation of Mein Kampf as authorized by the author was CAREFUL edited and matter deemed too unsettling for Anglo-American readers was omitted when others - including future US Senator Alan Cranston (D-CA) attempted to publish the whole hog over here, AH sued them in American courts for copywrite infringement - and won. Also, it's interesting that no direct order by Hitler to kill all the Jews has ever been found - which was certainly NOT candid. And doubt that Chamberlain or Churchill would agree with you on this point, as well as Mussolini and Stalin (the original Uncle Joe).
Thank you for the thoughtful answer. I do agree that "being candid about his intentions" does not at all equal being honest about his methods or being a trustworthy and reliable ally. I was more trying to point out that nobody could (or should) have held any illusions about what he was ultimately up to, after the mid-twenties.
Re David Bowie, though not a huge fan do recognize he was a genius - "Space Oddity" alone proves that fact.
As for his politics, don't really care, same as with most artists, unless they go out of the way to make political/social statements with their music, for example Johnny Cash, the Man in Black for a reason.
As for his statement re: Hitler, the Fuhrer's basic GOALS may be deemed good, in sense that he strove for long-term happy future for his country and the world - problem was his evil methods, namely totalitarianism, antisemitism, conquest & genocide just to mention a few. And Adolf certainly was one hell (in more ways than one) of a motivational speaker and iconic figurehead.
Could be wrong, but methinks Bowie was approaching this from an artistic perspective (just like his wardrobe choices) and not thinking overmuch about the politics, history or morality of Hitler's foul deeds and legacy.
I have a different take on Bowie/Hitler. Hitler was all kinds of awful, but his (probably only) redeeming quality was his candidness. He was never shy about his intentions. The title of his personal manifesto tells us, that his - and by extension and projection 'his' peoples' - eternal struggle was his Leitmotif. From the very beginning to the bitter end. I feel that this element of eternal unrest might have somehow resonated with Bowie's undying desire to leave the latest shell he had built and reinvent himself once more.
Hitler's "GOAL" - after having the won the ultimate struggle - was the idea of a 'master race' living off the subjugation, and ultimately enslavement, of 'lesser races'. I'm not sure that can seriously be considered to be good.
Your right about master race & untermenschen, but then AH thought THAT was the way to human happiness - you & yours truly beg to differ.
As for his candidness, note that English translation of Mein Kampf as authorized by the author was CAREFUL edited and matter deemed too unsettling for Anglo-American readers was omitted when others - including future US Senator Alan Cranston (D-CA) attempted to publish the whole hog over here, AH sued them in American courts for copywrite infringement - and won. Also, it's interesting that no direct order by Hitler to kill all the Jews has ever been found - which was certainly NOT candid. And doubt that Chamberlain or Churchill would agree with you on this point, as well as Mussolini and Stalin (the original Uncle Joe).
Thank you for the thoughtful answer. I do agree that "being candid about his intentions" does not at all equal being honest about his methods or being a trustworthy and reliable ally. I was more trying to point out that nobody could (or should) have held any illusions about what he was ultimately up to, after the mid-twenties.
Matthias, you are spot on re:illusions. Amazing how many smart folks drank the kool-aid, or leastways took a few sips.
Off topic - before I forget, thanks to you and your fellow Hamburgers for giving the US one of our most beloved and iconic culinary delicacies! Esp. in the good old summertime. Danke schön!
Floater: "I remember Trump saying it was all ok and his decisive action had avoided an outbreak ..... hows that working out Trumpy?"
Correction, that should be TrumpSKy, Donald Fredrikovich Trumsky
FUN FACTOID - did you know that MAGAman's grand-daddy died from the Spanish Influenza in 1918? He was a businessman, land speculator, brothel-keeper, and fraudster , with cheating the government a speciality - truly the apples do NOT fall far from the tree!
Curious that his sad demise seems to have left no familial memory in what passes for his grandson's brain.
"Trump is taking an awful lot of blows without landing any."
Worse, he can't stop kicking himself in the ass.
As for Ivanka, she couldn't sell yoga pants at a Weight Watchers convention, virtual or otherwise.
Think all this talk of replacing Trumpsky is BS. Might try to do it AFTER Election Day, but doubt even Bobblehead (aka Mike Pence) is dumb enough to give him a pardon - look how great THAT worked out for Jerry Ford.
Sound like wishful thinking by GOP hacks trying to avoid the tidal wave bearing down upon them: the slaughter of the guilty & dipshits.
Is this guy really a Minister for the SNP??? His hatred just oozes. Extraordinary.
If this was in Westminster it would make headline news, I think
Except there's almost no interest in devolved politics in the main network news programmes or the UK-wide national newspapers. The occasional controversy achieves cut-through but the reality is that almost nobody in England who's not moved here from one of the devolved nations or has a very keen interest in politics would be able to name more than a small handful of devolved politicians. Sturgeon and Salmond are the obvious ones, some will be familiar with Arlene Foster and maybe one or two names like Gerry Adams from the peace process era. That's about it.
It's also why Nicola Sturgeon tends to poll well in GB-wide approval ratings - about 90% of the people being asked the questions don't know anything about her apart from her being in favour of independence for Scotland and, perhaps, that she comes across professionally on the television. They don't live in Scotland and are therefore unaffected by and almost entirely unaware of its Government's actions, and any of the successes or failures arising therefrom.
I'm not sure to what degree this ignorance is a cause of the gradual rotting away of the Union or a consequence thereof.
The population of Scotland is almost exactly the same as the population of Yorkshire. I suspect it gets more regional coverage than Yorkshire, and more national coverage too. Its politics is essentially regional and local from a UK point of view, just like where most of us live, in rather ignored parts of England.
Exactly, Essex has a quarter of the population of Scotland but how much coverage does Essex County Council get relative to Holyrood? Certainly less than 25% UK wide
In best Father Ted voice:
OK, one last time. This is a country… that one's a county. Country… county.
Essex was a Kingdom. Similar status to Scotland. I think you'll find.
This is a country that's currently in a union with other countries… that one's a county that a few reactionaries feel the need to lumber back 1200 years so they can call it a kingdom.
Scotland isn't in a union with England, because England has no independent political status. It's a centrally-run territory of the UK Government. Maybe Scotland should seek a more equitable settlement for England. We might respect them more for that.
Not sure who "we" is, but I don't know a single Englishman that doesn't want an independent Scotland.
Good luck and good riddance
cockroaches are out from under their rocks I see
Plenty of us down here are still ardent Unionists. We would be sad to see you go, despite the constant shower of turnip insults
Yes indeed many many nice ones but you have more than your fair share of arseholes who only wish us ill
Comments
https://twitter.com/GoodwinMJ/status/1277327708775690248
Now, I wouldn't say the speech was rich in ideas. You have to wade through 40 numbered paragraphs before you get to the first one. I would say he has basically three ideas:
1. The vulnerable and left behind in society need government support. (This isn't an original idea, but it is an idea nevertheless).
2. Government should be measured against KPIs (good luck with that one! Brave.)
3. Government should adopt Agile/Fail Fast (Also brave)
And that's why Boris, Michael and Dom were snookered, before the virus struck. Because even a majority of 80 is insufficient to make the necessary changes; look at how Sunday trading loosening seems to have been dropped.
Singapore-on-Thames was always an enjoyable daydream for a certain sort of campaigner. But I don't think it was ever practical politics.
Always Singapore for the rich...
Sensible policies, strong economy, proper funds for the army, nice wine from Falernum
Ironically, Marxism talks about tearing down the existing structures and building anew and seems to have no regard for fiscal policy or business sense ("F*ck business").
I wonder if Tory Maxism will be less lethal than Corbyn's?
Politically smart/sound, too. This from 1983 ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZGiVzIr8Qg
Now Scotland looks like facing a terrible binary choice, where one side or the other will be violently aggrieved for a long long time; it will be like Brexit times 20 in a kilt.
My guess, and it is only a guess, is that Scotland will be like Quebec or Catalonia, never quite making the final leap, but therefore permanently thorny and roiled.
Maybe a skilful politician will guide us out, somehow.
"It didn’t help that David, who died on Sunday aged 69, had once said of
Hitler: “His overall objective was very good, and he was a marvellous morale
booster. I mean, he was a perfect figurehead.”"
https://www.thesun.co.uk/archives/news/136894/do-these-photos-from-1976-show-david-bowie-performing-a-nazi-salute/
Just 6% of UK public 'want a return to pre-pandemic economy'
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/28/just-6-of-uk-public-want-a-return-to-pre-pandemic-economy
Mr Frost may or may not have good judgement, but I will be amazed if he is allowed to apply it....
Certain PBers should sympathise.
Instead we are going to be significantly poorer for a very long time, with half our high streets shuttered and many offices deserted, with major unemployment and some social unrest guaranteed.
In addition, there is a non-trivial risk that all this, happening globally, will spiral out of control into major wars, famines and revolutions.
A Tory government needs to do Federalism, if it is ever to happen
Recent statements from three Republican senators:
* Marco Rubio (Florida): "everyone should just wear a damn mask";
* Lamar Alexander (chair of Senate health committee): "it would help if from time to time the President would wear one";
* Mitchell McConnell (Senate majority chair): "until we find a vaccine, [masks] are really important"... "[at] various events, people are not wearing masks [and are] not doing others a favour".
As for his politics, don't really care, same as with most artists, unless they go out of the way to make political/social statements with their music, for example Johnny Cash, the Man in Black for a reason.
As for his statement re: Hitler, the Fuhrer's basic GOALS may be deemed good, in sense that he strove for long-term happy future for his country and the world - problem was his evil methods, namely totalitarianism, antisemitism, conquest & genocide just to mention a few. And Adolf certainly was one hell (in more ways than one) of a motivational speaker and iconic figurehead.
Could be wrong, but methinks Bowie was approaching this from an artistic perspective (just like his wardrobe choices) and not thinking overmuch about the politics, history or morality of Hitler's foul deeds and legacy.
https://twitter.com/AbeGreenwald/status/1277364056790351883?s=20
Well, he helped keep the neo-Vikings from re-occupying the Danelaw, didn't he?
Yet on Andrew Marr today, Sir Jeremy Farrar said that the virus has not lost any of its potency. He implied that we could wait for 1 year, 100 years or 200 years, and the virus would still be just as infectious and dangerous.
Waiting will change nothing except to exhaust people's patience, causing society to gradually give up on the lockdown. The epidemic will not wait for a vaccine to arrive. If a vaccine does not arrive by the end of 2021, it could be too late as herd immunity will be approaching by then in some countries.
You can't do everything exactly the way you were before, but you also don't need massively disruption. Britain has had massive disruption because it failed to make the less disruptive changes that could have stopped the disease early on. Because its government is so astonishingly shit, there's a good chance it's now going to fail to make them again, then do the massive disruption again.
https://twitter.com/COVID19Tracking/status/1277365084440817664?s=20
Seems like this has been focus grouped to death.
"Talk talk talk", it's all about fostering a "them and us" narrative
But deaths are a lagging indicator, of course, and the rapid increase in cases and hospitalisations in Az, Ca, Tx, likely means a new surge in deaths a week or two down the line - unless treatments really are improving superbly
Goodnight all
The title of his personal manifesto tells us, that his - and by extension and projection 'his' peoples' - eternal struggle was his Leitmotif. From the very beginning to the bitter end.
I feel that this element of eternal unrest might have somehow resonated with Bowie's undying desire to leave the latest shell he had built and reinvent himself once more.
Hitler's "GOAL" - after having the won the ultimate struggle - was the idea of a 'master race' living off the subjugation, and ultimately enslavement, of 'lesser races'. I'm not sure that can seriously be considered to be good.
Of course this isn't the same as saying no to "would you could rerun 2020 without covid, if you could?" Things are undoubtedly worse now than they were before in many ways - but with some of the changes being for the better, I hope some of those changes stick around.
https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2020/06/our-survey-by-a-wafer-thin-margin-a-plurality-of-our-party-member-panel-says-that-jenrick-should-resign.html
As for his candidness, note that English translation of Mein Kampf as authorized by the author was CAREFUL edited and matter deemed too unsettling for Anglo-American readers was omitted when others - including future US Senator Alan Cranston (D-CA) attempted to publish the whole hog over here, AH sued them in American courts for copywrite infringement - and won. Also, it's interesting that no direct order by Hitler to kill all the Jews has ever been found - which was certainly NOT candid. And doubt that Chamberlain or Churchill would agree with you on this point, as well as Mussolini and Stalin (the original Uncle Joe).
The comments don't load at all on the new mobile site.
https://twitter.com/CGasparino/status/1277280827462868994
Meanwhile, SCOTUS will probably rule soon on Trump's tax returns.
Trump is taking an awful lot of blows without landing any.
I do agree that "being candid about his intentions" does not at all equal being honest about his methods or being a trustworthy and reliable ally. I was more trying to point out that nobody could (or should) have held any illusions about what he was ultimately up to, after the mid-twenties.
Off topic - before I forget, thanks to you and your fellow Hamburgers for giving the US one of our most beloved and iconic culinary delicacies! Esp. in the good old summertime. Danke schön!
In other news, the Académie Française has just done a study and discovered that the French language is the best in the world.
Correction, that should be TrumpSKy, Donald Fredrikovich Trumsky
FUN FACTOID - did you know that MAGAman's grand-daddy died from the Spanish Influenza in 1918? He was a businessman, land speculator, brothel-keeper, and fraudster , with cheating the government a speciality - truly the apples do NOT fall far from the tree!
Curious that his sad demise seems to have left no familial memory in what passes for his grandson's brain.
Worse, he can't stop kicking himself in the ass.
As for Ivanka, she couldn't sell yoga pants at a Weight Watchers convention, virtual or otherwise.
Think all this talk of replacing Trumpsky is BS. Might try to do it AFTER Election Day, but doubt even Bobblehead (aka Mike Pence) is dumb enough to give him a pardon - look how great THAT worked out for Jerry Ford.
Sound like wishful thinking by GOP hacks trying to avoid the tidal wave bearing down upon them: the slaughter of the guilty & dipshits.
All of her albums are superb.