I must say that the imminent american election, with all the bitterness and dodgy dealing, suddenly felt like the wrong time for me to have read a trilogy set during the fall of the Roman Republic. Far too tempting to see signs of terminal decline in institutions as a result.
I was doing my usual browse through the latest reports of doom and disaster in the newspapers earlier this week, and chanced upon an article about Stoicism and the writings of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. I've now ordered a copy of the Meditations and an accompanying analysis.
If the world is going to shit (well, we know it's going to shit, it's merely a question of how badly) then thinking about how to endure disasters that are almost entirely out of one's own control would seem wise.
I don't agree that it's going to shit at all - it's moving forward as it always has done.
When someone tells you the world is going to shit, it's fun to ask them what year they would like to be transported back to. Maybe they would have been happier before the end of rationing, or the elimination of smallpox, or the discovery of penicillin. Or maybe they would have liked 1919, or 1649, or maybe the fun and laughter of 1347 ? Presumably longer life, modern medicine, travel and education mean little besides the warm comfort of 'the good old days'.
So come on folks, what year would you *really* like to be living in?
Not much of an argument, though. For one thing, we've all had the misfortune to be born before the elimination of cancer, or for that matter covid-19. Neither fact keeps me awake at night. For another, "is going to shit" doesn't imply that we have got there yet. Since the second world war tens of millions of people at least have lived in conditions where, yes, flipping back to any of the dates you mention couldn't have made things worse. How do you know we aren't headed that way?
I'm not sure that you comprehend the levels of progress that human society have made. The homeless on the street have better medical care and life expectancy than Kings of England in the range of dates above.
Major expelled everyone who didn't vote for Maastricht. How is that any different at all to Boris expelling those who didn't vote for his deal in the last Parliament?
Rupert Allason was the only one who abstained when it was a confidence vote (and he was overseas) and he had the whip removed for a year as a result. No other MPs rebelled in that vote and none at all voted with the opposition.
The 20 or so who voted with the opposition when Boris repeated Major's trick were more extreme than even the likes of Bill Cash etc who with Maastricht refused to rebel at that point.
I must say that the imminent american election, with all the bitterness and dodgy dealing, suddenly felt like the wrong time for me to have read a trilogy set during the fall of the Roman Republic. Far too tempting to see signs of terminal decline in institutions as a result.
I was doing my usual browse through the latest reports of doom and disaster in the newspapers earlier this week, and chanced upon an article about Stoicism and the writings of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. I've now ordered a copy of the Meditations and an accompanying analysis.
If the world is going to shit (well, we know it's going to shit, it's merely a question of how badly) then thinking about how to endure disasters that are almost entirely out of one's own control would seem wise.
I don't agree that it's going to shit at all - it's moving forward as it always has done.
When someone tells you the world is going to shit, it's fun to ask them what year they would like to be transported back to. Maybe they would have been happier before the end of rationing, or the elimination of smallpox, or the discovery of penicillin. Or maybe they would have liked 1919, or 1649, or maybe the fun and laughter of 1347 ? Presumably longer life, modern medicine, travel and education mean little besides the warm comfort of 'the good old days'.
So come on folks, what year would you *really* like to be living in?
At this point I’d take 2015 and pray like mad that various actors here, in Europe and in the US took different decisions.....
I'm not being silly. Regardless of the situation, it is foolish to invest time and attention on a perceived unhappy state of affairs that you cannot control.
Looks like the kite flying mission is going fully to plan. Get all the moaning and complaining out in the open; see which bits don't get the full double barrel; count the malcontents and size up the Commons majority.
Will The Met use that fixed Penalty Notice and that section of legislation for Extinction Rebellion's next London stunt?
“One individual has been reported under the new legislation, and that a fixed penalty notice would be issued for £10,000 for the offence of holding a gathering of more than 30 people in an outdoor public place contrary to regulations 5B(1), (2)(b)(iii) and 8(1) and (4) of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No.2) (England) Regulations 2020." Daily Mirror
Looks like the kite flying mission is going fully to plan. Get all the moaning and complaining out in the open; see which bits don't get the full double barrel; count the malcontents and size up the Commons majority.
Looks like the kite flying mission is going fully to plan. Get all the moaning and complaining out in the open; see which bits don't get the full double barrel; count the malcontents and size up the Commons majority.
Looks like the kite flying mission is going fully to plan. Get all the moaning and complaining out in the open; see which bits don't get the full double barrel; count the malcontents and size up the Commons majority.
Getting boring this pension rate thing. We had this kite only a few months ago and a load of outrage at the thought of the well off being hit by a rationalisation of the rebate.
How do you market a near 80-year old guy, whose onset of dementia at least has one benefit - that of people forgetting how creepy he used to be?
Way to go Dems - you are going to inflict 4 more years of Trump on the planet.
I see the narrative of blaming both Biden & 4 more years of Trump on the left is well under way. I note none of you lads are taking any responsibility for Trump in the first place.
I must say that the imminent american election, with all the bitterness and dodgy dealing, suddenly felt like the wrong time for me to have read a trilogy set during the fall of the Roman Republic. Far too tempting to see signs of terminal decline in institutions as a result.
I was doing my usual browse through the latest reports of doom and disaster in the newspapers earlier this week, and chanced upon an article about Stoicism and the writings of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. I've now ordered a copy of the Meditations and an accompanying analysis.
If the world is going to shit (well, we know it's going to shit, it's merely a question of how badly) then thinking about how to endure disasters that are almost entirely out of one's own control would seem wise.
I don't agree that it's going to shit at all - it's moving forward as it always has done.
When someone tells you the world is going to shit, it's fun to ask them what year they would like to be transported back to. Maybe they would have been happier before the end of rationing, or the elimination of smallpox, or the discovery of penicillin. Or maybe they would have liked 1919, or 1649, or maybe the fun and laughter of 1347 ? Presumably longer life, modern medicine, travel and education mean little besides the warm comfort of 'the good old days'.
So come on folks, what year would you *really* like to be living in?
At this point I’d take 2015 and pray like mad that various actors here, in Europe and in the US took different decisions.....
I'm not being silly. Regardless of the situation, it is foolish to invest time and attention on a perceived unhappy state of affairs that you cannot control.
Well, that’s the Take Back Control slogan buggered then.
We do have a whole series of mechanisms to hold the PM to account and in a democracy we have every right to hold him accountable.
What you should be bothered about is not those who try to do this but the PM who thinks that he should not be held responsible for anything and should be able to avoid the consequences of his actions.
Out of interest - what are the specifics of the threatened 'pension raid' - is it reducing the annual allowance again or something more radical / harder to implement?
Out of interest - what are the specifics of the threatened 'pension raid' - is it reducing the annual allowance again or something more radical / harder to implement?
Rumours of making 30% the rate for offset against income tax. So basic rates peeps gain and higher rates lose.
The latter is a set which overlaps considerably with journalists and editors.
I must say that the imminent american election, with all the bitterness and dodgy dealing, suddenly felt like the wrong time for me to have read a trilogy set during the fall of the Roman Republic. Far too tempting to see signs of terminal decline in institutions as a result.
I was doing my usual browse through the latest reports of doom and disaster in the newspapers earlier this week, and chanced upon an article about Stoicism and the writings of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. I've now ordered a copy of the Meditations and an accompanying analysis.
If the world is going to shit (well, we know it's going to shit, it's merely a question of how badly) then thinking about how to endure disasters that are almost entirely out of one's own control would seem wise.
I don't agree that it's going to shit at all - it's moving forward as it always has done.
When someone tells you the world is going to shit, it's fun to ask them what year they would like to be transported back to. Maybe they would have been happier before the end of rationing, or the elimination of smallpox, or the discovery of penicillin. Or maybe they would have liked 1919, or 1649, or maybe the fun and laughter of 1347 ? Presumably longer life, modern medicine, travel and education mean little besides the warm comfort of 'the good old days'.
So come on folks, what year would you *really* like to be living in?
Not much of an argument, though. For one thing, we've all had the misfortune to be born before the elimination of cancer, or for that matter covid-19. Neither fact keeps me awake at night. For another, "is going to shit" doesn't imply that we have got there yet. Since the second world war tens of millions of people at least have lived in conditions where, yes, flipping back to any of the dates you mention couldn't have made things worse. How do you know we aren't headed that way?
I'm not sure that you comprehend the levels of progress that human society have made. The homeless on the street have better medical care and life expectancy than Kings of England in the range of dates above.
Thought experiment: imagine advancing that argument in Cambodia in 1976, Rwanda in 1994, China in 1960, ...
In Cambodia, Rwanda and China the people in power, quite deliberately*, turned the clock back.
Even so, they merely managed to recreate the horror of the Middle Ages**. Which was really, really horrible for nearly everyone.
*You can argue about intention with China **1/3rd of the population dies, or is slaughter by lunatics. This is what in the Middle Ages, we called an Interesting Episode....
The issue with tax rises is not whether they should be done. At some point, all this spending is going to have be paid for. But whether now is the time to do them.
The issue with tax rises is not whether they should be done. At some point, all this spending is going to have be paid for. But whether now is the time to do them.
A well worn tactic is to brief a load of eye watering hits on the rich and middle classes and then everyone relaxes on Budget Day when most of it doesn't happen and the stuff the Treasury really want gets nodded through.
I must say that the imminent american election, with all the bitterness and dodgy dealing, suddenly felt like the wrong time for me to have read a trilogy set during the fall of the Roman Republic. Far too tempting to see signs of terminal decline in institutions as a result.
I was doing my usual browse through the latest reports of doom and disaster in the newspapers earlier this week, and chanced upon an article about Stoicism and the writings of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. I've now ordered a copy of the Meditations and an accompanying analysis.
If the world is going to shit (well, we know it's going to shit, it's merely a question of how badly) then thinking about how to endure disasters that are almost entirely out of one's own control would seem wise.
I don't agree that it's going to shit at all - it's moving forward as it always has done.
When someone tells you the world is going to shit, it's fun to ask them what year they would like to be transported back to. Maybe they would have been happier before the end of rationing, or the elimination of smallpox, or the discovery of penicillin. Or maybe they would have liked 1919, or 1649, or maybe the fun and laughter of 1347 ? Presumably longer life, modern medicine, travel and education mean little besides the warm comfort of 'the good old days'.
So come on folks, what year would you *really* like to be living in?
Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) on Sunday endorsed his former colleague, Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.) in his primary challenge to Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.).
Betfair exchange has a "Will Next President Lose the popular vote" market and I am trying to work out the correct implied odds given the candidate odds and my brain isn't working.
I must say that the imminent american election, with all the bitterness and dodgy dealing, suddenly felt like the wrong time for me to have read a trilogy set during the fall of the Roman Republic. Far too tempting to see signs of terminal decline in institutions as a result.
I was doing my usual browse through the latest reports of doom and disaster in the newspapers earlier this week, and chanced upon an article about Stoicism and the writings of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. I've now ordered a copy of the Meditations and an accompanying analysis.
If the world is going to shit (well, we know it's going to shit, it's merely a question of how badly) then thinking about how to endure disasters that are almost entirely out of one's own control would seem wise.
I don't agree that it's going to shit at all - it's moving forward as it always has done.
When someone tells you the world is going to shit, it's fun to ask them what year they would like to be transported back to. Maybe they would have been happier before the end of rationing, or the elimination of smallpox, or the discovery of penicillin. Or maybe they would have liked 1919, or 1649, or maybe the fun and laughter of 1347 ? Presumably longer life, modern medicine, travel and education mean little besides the warm comfort of 'the good old days'.
So come on folks, what year would you *really* like to be living in?
September 10, 2001 would do me.
The 2001 as predicted in the film looked quite good as well.
What we have now is neither as good as we hoped nor as bad as we feared.
Biden can only win while also winning the popular vote. Their is no way for him to win otherwise. So any deviation for the candidate odds comes from trump.
So what is Trump's odds of winning whilst also winning the popular vote?
I must say that the imminent american election, with all the bitterness and dodgy dealing, suddenly felt like the wrong time for me to have read a trilogy set during the fall of the Roman Republic. Far too tempting to see signs of terminal decline in institutions as a result.
I was doing my usual browse through the latest reports of doom and disaster in the newspapers earlier this week, and chanced upon an article about Stoicism and the writings of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. I've now ordered a copy of the Meditations and an accompanying analysis.
If the world is going to shit (well, we know it's going to shit, it's merely a question of how badly) then thinking about how to endure disasters that are almost entirely out of one's own control would seem wise.
I don't agree that it's going to shit at all - it's moving forward as it always has done.
When someone tells you the world is going to shit, it's fun to ask them what year they would like to be transported back to. Maybe they would have been happier before the end of rationing, or the elimination of smallpox, or the discovery of penicillin. Or maybe they would have liked 1919, or 1649, or maybe the fun and laughter of 1347 ? Presumably longer life, modern medicine, travel and education mean little besides the warm comfort of 'the good old days'.
So come on folks, what year would you *really* like to be living in?
September 10, 2001 would do me.
That's not a great day to pick. Too late to stop 9/11, that's for sure.
Interesting in a theoretical sense. Practically speaking you'd have to place a huge amount of money to make any significant profits from the difference.
Interesting in a theoretical sense. Practically speaking you'd have to place a huge amount of money to make any significant profits from the difference.
People will bet huge amounts if this 4- or 5-basis points Biden premium is still there at the beginning of November. In-running punters play at 1.04 and shorter in every horse race. We saw the same thing happen with Trump, Biden and Pence in the nomination markets.
The point is, this premium implies there is a chance Biden will pull out before the election (and possibly some weeks before, since it will take time to print ballot papers with his replacement). Tbh I doubt "the market" knows anything but then, nor do I.
Comments
Way to go Dems - you are going to inflict 4 more years of Trump on the planet.
It does look rather like a case of rounding up one of the usual suspects.
“One individual has been reported under the new legislation, and that a fixed penalty notice would be issued for £10,000 for the offence of holding a gathering of more than 30 people in an outdoor public place contrary to regulations 5B(1), (2)(b)(iii) and 8(1) and (4) of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No.2) (England) Regulations 2020."
Daily Mirror
Trump: 2.02
Close to switch over
Has Sunak finally grown a pair on this perennial?
We do have a whole series of mechanisms to hold the PM to account and in a democracy we have every right to hold him accountable.
What you should be bothered about is not those who try to do this but the PM who thinks that he should not be held responsible for anything and should be able to avoid the consequences of his actions.
I thought the 2.5 I got on the Dems Was nuts back a whole. Ago but this!
The latter is a set which overlaps considerably with journalists and editors.
But why won't he condemn the violence?
Why? Why?
Even so, they merely managed to recreate the horror of the Middle Ages**. Which was really, really horrible for nearly everyone.
*You can argue about intention with China
**1/3rd of the population dies, or is slaughter by lunatics. This is what in the Middle Ages, we called an Interesting Episode....
https://www.betfair.com/exchange/plus/politics/market/1.128151441
Trump campaign trying to bend the market to their man??
Some here will still try to defend it
Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) on Sunday endorsed his former colleague, Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.) in his primary challenge to Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.).
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/514351-orourke-endorses-kennedy-for-senate-a-champion-for-the-values-were-most-proud
Telegraph.
If that is correct, seems a tad crazy to be chasing people and blocking courts like this.
What we have now is neither as good as we hoped nor as bad as we feared.
Oh Owen, you silly sausage
Or, the number of apprentice customs agents.
Biden 2
Dem 1.96
Trump 2.02
Rep 2.02
So what is Trump's odds of winning whilst also winning the popular vote?
Aaron is embarrassing himself again
This fucking election man, what even.
The point is, this premium implies there is a chance Biden will pull out before the election (and possibly some weeks before, since it will take time to print ballot papers with his replacement). Tbh I doubt "the market" knows anything but then, nor do I.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2019_United_Kingdom_general_election